Rescue Ship Saves 86 People off the Coast of Libya

The rescue ship "Ocean Viking" saved 86 people off the coast of Libya after their vessel capsized during their attempt to reach Europe. A spokesperson for the organization operating the ship, based in France, stated to AFP that "the survivors, most of whom are from Gambia and Senegal, were suffering from dehydration, exhaustion, and burns from fuel." He explained that "the majority of the migrants are minors who were attempting to cross the Mediterranean alone, without their parents." Italian authorities stated that the passengers could disembark at the port of Bari, a journey the organization claims will take three days. According to the Italian Ministry of the Interior, around 90,000 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea since the beginning of the year. Estimates from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicate that 1,724 migrants have gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe since the start of the year, a higher toll compared to 1,417 last year.