The humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières has stated it rescued more than 300 migrants on the Mediterranean Sea in twelve hours. The migrants included three pregnant women and 80 minors, including two babies.
In two operations in twelve hours, about 300 people trapped in overcrowded wooden boats were first received on the ship Geo Barents. Soon after, the crew rescued another 36 people, MSF reported on Twitter on Tuesday.
The persons were discovered and taken care of in the Maltese search and rescue zone, MSF said further.
Many rescue operations take place in the Maltese search area, but the island's authorities do not respond to calls for help from NGOs. Italy then often designates a port where rescue ships can dock.
Aid organisations, such as MSF, are deployed in the central Mediterranean to rescue migrants, often accusing the EU of not sending rescue services when they receive a call of distress.
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Rome has often expressed its frustration that Italy is left to deal with the arrivals of many thousands of migrants by other EU Member States. It has repeatedly called for an EU-wide initiative together with countries in North Africa to prevent people from crossing the Mediterranean.
