Italian authorities gave permission to the ship Ocean Viking, which rescues migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, to land 403 migrants on board, the humanitarian non-governmental organization SOS Mediterranee reports on Twitter.
“In a statement announced in six languages, the 403 survivors aboard Ocean Viking have just been informed that they will disembark at (city port) of Taranto, Italy”, – SOS Mediterranee said on Twitter.
🔴BREAKING In an announcement delivered in 6 languages, the 403 survivors onboard #OceanViking have just been told they will disembark in #Taranto, Italy
Forced to risk their lives to flee across the #Mediterranean, 216 men, 38 women & 149 children will soon finally reach safety pic.twitter.com/39V5F7cqqZ
— SOS MEDITERRANEE (@SOSMedIntl) January 28, 2020
According to NGO data, among those rescued there are 216 men, 38 women and 149 children.
At the end of July, Médecins Sans Frontières, together with SOS Mediterranee, resumed search and rescue operations to help migrants in the Mediterranean Sea “against the background of inaction by the EU countries”. The aid ship Ocean Viking is sailing under the flag of Norway.