A ship chartered by the humanitarian organization "SOS Mediterranea" (SOS Mediterranee), together with the Italian coast guard, rescued 129 migrants, including 43 children, in distress in the Ionian Sea - in the waters between southern Italy and Greece.
This was reported by Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA, referring to a statement by the international humanitarian organization involved in rescuing migrants in open waters.
"The survivors told our teams that they had left Turkey six days earlier, and among them was a one-month-old baby who was traveling with his mother," said "SOS Mediterranee", adding that 43 women were among the rescued.
With a total of 163 migrants on board, the ship "Ocean Viking" (Ocean Viking) is heading to the port of Ravenna, in northeastern Italy, where they will be registered by the authorities.
On Thursday, the "SOS Mediterranea" ship helped 34 migrants from Gambia and Syria, who will also set foot on the shores of Ravenna.
According to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 2,140 people trying to reach Europe have gone missing or died in the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of the year.