The migrant vessel was swept away by the sea current because its engine stopped working. He was spotted by the crew of a Seabird aircraft sent over the sea by the German humanitarian organization Sea-Watch. The migrants did not have life jackets, and at the request of the Seabird crew, they were taken by the supply vessel Asso 29 near the Buri oil field, about 120 kilometers north of the Libyan coast. According to the AP, the Libyan authorities routinely obtain engines from these vessels.
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The crew of the Asso 29 reported that all refugees, including five children, were in good health. The captain said he was waiting for an order from the rescue and coordination center in Rome about where to bring the migrants.
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About 44,000 people reached European shores across the Mediterranean from Tunisia and Libya this year. Many have been helped by smugglers of people who send migrants to sea on unsuitable ships. Between the beginning of the year and 25 September, more than 25,000 migrants were caught by the Libyan Coast Guard and returned to Libya, according to the United Nations. There they are often sent to detention centers where harsh conditions prevail, including blackmail, torture and abuse.
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On Friday, Libyan authorities carried out a massive crackdown on migrants in the western suburbs of Tripoli, detaining about 4,000 people, including women and children. The raid took place at a place that is a well-known hub on the way migrants travel to Europe. According to the UN, members of the Libyan security forces shot one young refugee and injured 15 others, two of them are in serious condition.
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According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1,100 migrants have died in the Central Mediterranean region this year.
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