A frame of the video released by the Coast Guard

  • Lampedusa, after sinking 149 people safe from a small boat. For 20 missing survivors
  • 176 migrants arrived in Taranto with the Ocean Viking. Another 172 in Lampedusa rescued by patrol boats

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25 November 2019

62 migrants are expected to arrive in Taranto tomorrow on Open Arms. "The people who arrive will be assisted by the machine of welcoming the local institutions, now in good shape. After the first treatment and identification, any unaccompanied minors - explains the Municipality of Taranto - will be distributed in the structures located in the national territory. deals with the reception only asks for tea bags, sugar and glasses to leave at the Church Corpus Domini ".

The shipwreck on Saturday in Lampedusa, in the rescue video the screams of children
The desperate cries of children, the requests for help from men and women who ended up in the sea last Saturday, about a mile from the island of the Rabbits of Lampedusa.

The Coast Guard has released some images of the moments following the shipwreck on Saturday evening and the military's desperate attempts to rescue everyone, starting with the children. And to every migrant hoisted on the patrol boat, the soldiers themselves breathed a sigh of relief. Scenes that have also immortalized the exceptional work done with the heart by the Coast Guard men who managed to save 149 people, including a child not even a year old and a visually impaired person. The missing - the research is still ongoing, due to rough seas and strong gusts of wind, only with planes - should be about fifteen.

Today waves 4 meters high in Lampedusa, aerial vehicles in action
The current weather and sea conditions in the Lampedusa area are continuously deteriorating, with waves up to 4 meters high. The search operations therefore continue with the use of aerial vehicles of the Coast Guard and Frontex. At present there are three lifeless bodies (3 women) recovered at sea from the Coast Guard Cp 324 patrol boat. Two additional lifeless bodies - two women - were found on shore by personnel from the Guardia di Finanza.

Ocean Viking landed in Messina
Meanwhile, the Ocean Viking ship of Sos Méditerranée and Doctors Without Borders with 213 migrants on board has arrived at the dock of the port of Messina. To welcome the refugees the staff of the Prefecture, of the Police Headquarters, of the Guardia di Finanza, of the Municipality, of the ASP and various voluntary associations. The decision to indicate Messina as a safe haven was taken after Italy, Germany, France and Malta jointly requested the European Commission to activate the procedure for relocating migrants saved in various operations by Ocean Viking. The European intervention was solicited by all the countries that shared the Valletta pre-agreement. The migrants will now be transferred to the Messina first aid and identification center, next to the Gasparro barracks.

Open Arms and Aita Mari, relocation procedure
In the meantime, the procedure for the European relocation of migrants on board the ships of the Open Arms and Aita Mari has been started. The request for redistribution, according to the Interior Ministry, was presented jointly by the four countries that shared the Valletta pre-agreement: Italy, Germany, France and Malta. On the basis of this request, Taranto and Pozzallo have been identified as landing ports for migrants on board the Open Arms and Aita Mari respectively.