MOAS rescues 104 asylum seekers from large rubber dinghy

MOAS rescues 196 migrants

Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) this week rescued 196 migrants from two rubber dinghies in the Mediterranean Sea.

Today’s rescue saw 104 sub-Saharan men saved from a large rubber dinghy after MOAS was directed to their location by Rome’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

A number of the migrants were dehydrated and others were suffering from petrol burns due to the fact that their clothes were wet with fuel.

On October 1st, MOAS was directed to another dinghy which carried 92 migrants, including 57 men, 34 women and a two-year-old girl.

All 196 migrants were transferred to Italian authorities at sea and disembarked in Italy.

Meanwhile, MOAS sailed to Lampedusa on Friday to participate in a wreath laying ceremony to commemorate last year’s tragedy on October 3 which saw hundreds of migrants drown.

MOAS founders Christopher and Regina Catrambone participated in various events in Lampedusa to commemorate the tragedy, meeting several survivors and relatives.

MOAS, which began operating at the end of August has now assisted in the rescue of some 2,200 migrants crossing from Libyan shores.

MOAS, a privately-funded humanitarian initiative consists of a 40-metre ship, Phoenix, conducted by a professional crew of rescuers, seafarers, paramedics and humanitarians.