In the early morning hours of September 29, the crew of the rescue ship Aurora, operated by the civilian rescue organization Sea-Watch, rescued 28 people from a deflated rubber dinghy and from the Hasdrubal gas platform in international waters. The crew also recovered two bodies, including that of a child. The Aurora is currently awaiting the assignment of a place of safety by the Italian authorities. Sea-Watch is calling for the immediate assignment of the nearest port, in accordance with international law. The Aurora rescue ship is currently around 150km from the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Giulia Messmer, Sea-Watch spokesperson, comments:
“This morning, our crew recovered the body of a child. Parents lost their child when all they wanted was to bring them to safety. Today, we are witnessing the cruelty of European politics first-hand today. We call for a European search and rescue program to be established immediately and to end the deliberate dying at sea.”