Shipwreck off Tripoli: dozens dead
(B2) A canoe from Libya sank on Friday. Over a hundred dead. Only three survivors could be recovered by the Italian Navy
A canoe with 20 people on board
A P72 maritime patrol plane from the 41st squadron of the Aeronautica Militare de Sigonella spotted, on Friday (January 18) afternoon, a dinghy sinking 50 miles north of Tripoli with about 20 people on board. Before leaving the area, at the limit of fuel, the plane was able to drop 2 inflatable survival boats which " are regularly open says the Italian Navy.
A Caio Duilio helicopter to the rescue
The destroyer Caio Duilio (1) which was at " more than 110 miles from the area (approximately 200 kilometers took off his SH 90 (2) on-board helicopter to send it to the scene. Once in the area, the helicopter recovered, in two different missions, three castaways in hypothermia, one in the water and two in one of the lifeboats already launched. The other boat was empty. The survivors were brought back to the ship, stabilized and evacuated to the island of Lampedusa (Italy).
Coordination by Tripoli rescue center
No news of the other people on the canoe. The " research continues under the coordination of the Libyan relief coordination center, which has assumed responsibility for the rescue, with the support of the P72 and the helicopter from the Duilio vessel which has returned to the scene said the Italian navy on Friday. The center of Tripoli notably redirected a merchant ship flying the Liberian flag to the area.
117 missing?
According toOIM, which collected the testimonies of the survivors, when it left Libya, the inflatable boat had 120 people on board. That is 117 missing, including ten women and a 2-month-old child. In addition, the international organization indicates that the Italian coast guard picked up 68 migrants, who left Zwara (Libya) on Wednesday evening (January 16) and arrived on the island of Lampedusa on Friday (January 18).
(NGV)
- Ship dedicated to air defense (D-554) of the horizon class built in Franco-Italian.
- Marine version of the NH90 helicopter (called Caiman in the French Navy).
