MOAS in its largest rescue mission ever: 561 people saved today

561 migrants were rescued by MOAS today, marking its largest rescue mission since its search and rescue operation was launched last year.

After transferring 154 people to a merchant vessel,  MY Phoenix currently has 407 people on board including 136 women and 60 children. According to the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, the majority of the rescued persons are from Eritrea.

According to ANSA, Italy's Navy rescued a total of 1,300 migrants from ships traveling from the Libyan coast. Four boats carrying adults and children were rescued 30 miles north of Libya. According to reports, one of the migrant boats sank following the transfer of refugees to the ships, ANSA said.

Phoenix was meant to return today to Malta to restock for its second mission. Yesterday, MOAS worked together with the crew of HMS Bullwark to whom it transferred 188 people saved by the Italian philanthropists. The British warship brought more than 400 people to safety after they were found 40 miles from the Libyan coast in inflatable boats.

The European Commission has proposed a scheme to offer 20,000 refugees the right to resettle in the EU.

The 40-metre long MY Phoenix is equipped with two Schiebel remote piloted aircraft (CAMCOPTER® S-100) monitoring the seas from the sky and providing real-time intelligence to MOAS and the Rescue Coordination Centres of Malta and Italy. The drones will be flying closer to the Libyan coast, after permission was obtained to fly in the Libyan flight information region.

The mission, led by former AFM commander Brigadier Martin Xuereb, is composed of a professional crew of rescuers, seafarers, paramedics and humanitarians. Doctors Without Borders are handling the post-rescue care of the migrants, enabling the crew to focus on the rescue part of the mission.