LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – At least 23 people have drowned in the Mediterranean when a boat carrying around 50 individuals shipwrecked in Maltàs search and rescue region.
The rescue Ngo Resqship said one of its vessels arrived at the scene and found 25 individuals who had been already some two hours in the water. They rescued 22 individuals and recovered two dead bodies. The prosecutor of Agrigento is investigating the case, with the Italian authorities expected to question the 22 survivors. Meanwhile, the Maltese government once again came under fire and criticized by the German Ngo Sea-Watch, following the instructions given to a cargo ship to give fuel to a fishing boat in distress carrying 400 asylum seekers instead of activating rescue operation. According to Sea-Watch two commercial vessels in the area were ready to intervene, however, Maltàs search and rescue coordination centre issued instructions to the shipmaster to offer fuel to the boat so that it may continue with its voyage. The Ngo warned that those on board the fishing vessel are in “imminent danger” and stressed that the European Union should intervene without further delay.
(ITALPRESS).
-photo credit agenziafotogramma.it-

Source: medNews