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Spanish coast guard saves 1,258 in Mediterranean rescue operation

Xinhua, October 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed on Thursday that they saved 1,258 immigrants from the Mediterranean in one of the largest rescues carried out in these waters.

The rescue vessel Rio Segura carried out the operation off the coast of Libya, saving a total of 968 men, 58 women and 232 minors off 11 different dinghies which were attempting to make the hazardous crossing from the north coast of Africa to Europe.

A pregnant women among those rescued had to be urgently evacuated to hospital in Rome after suffering life-threatening spasms, a further two were taken to medical centers and another treated for a broken arm aboard the rescue vessel.

According to the Civil Guard, one of the dinghies was already swamped when they arrived and its 20 occupants would have died had it not been for the rapid intervention of the Rio Segura.

This is the second major rescue involving a Spanish rescue vessel within a week after Sunday night saw the 121 immigrants saved from four dinghies in the Sea of Alboran, midway between Libya and Spain. Endit