Rome, Mar. 4, (dpa/GNA) – The crew of the Humanity 1 rescue ship has picked up 77 migrants from several boats drifting in the central Mediterranean, according to the Berlin-based organization SOS Humanity which operates the vessel.
Several minors were among those rescued, SOS Humanity said late on Saturday evening. The rescue operation was massively disrupted and jeopardized by the Libyan coastguard, it added.
The Humanity 1 is now on its way to the harbour in the southern Italian city of Bari to bring the people ashore.
According to SOS Humanity, the crew had been informed of three boats in distress by a civilian reconnaissance aircraft prior to the operation.
The Libyan coastguard also arrived on the scene during the attempt to get the people on board smaller rescue boats before bringing them aboard the Humanity 1, it said.
The organization reported of chaotic scenes, saying the Libyan coastguard had fired live bullets. According to SOS Humanity, people jumped into the water, with one person said to have drowned.
The information could not be independently verified.
The civil rescue group said it was devastated following the incident adding it has informed all relevant authorities.
“Threatening crew members of rescue ships and endangering the lives of vulnerable people is a gross violation of international law,” it said in a statement.
GNA