Eleven -year -old girl survives ship accident 3 days connected to tires connected to tires

Eleven -year -old girl survives ship accident 3 days connected to tires connected to tires

An 11-year-old girl was found while clinging to tires in the Mediterranean after the migrant boat on which she was on, sank three days earlier. The girl comes from Sierra Leone and was called "Yasmine" in the Italian media.

rescue in the Mediterranean

It was found on Wednesday morning with a life jacket from the crew of the rescue ship Trotamar II, which is operated by the German NGO Compass Collective. Yasmine told the rescuers that the boat had left Sfax in Tunisia with about 45 people on board at the weekend, including their younger brother.

storm delayed rescue actions

A storm in the region had stopped operating several NGO rescue ships around the Italian island of Lampedusa. Yasmine said that two other survivors were initially present than the metal boat capsized in the storm, but they got into the water hours before their rescue.

an incredible coincidence

The captain of Trotamar III, Matthias Wiedenlübbert, reported that at 3:20 a.m. (9:20 a.m. et on Tuesday) they heard their screams in the dark. The boat was on the way to a different assignment when it discovered rubble of the capsized ship and began to patrol the area.

"It was an incredible coincidence that we heard the child's voice, even though the engine was running," said Wiedenlübbert. "And of course we searched for other survivors. But after the day -long storm with over 23 knots and 2.5 meter high waves it was hopeless."

medical care on Lampedusa

yasmine was brought to Lampedusa, where she is treated for hypothermia. According to the Red Cross, which the migrant center operates on the island, it is expected to survive.

distribution of life jackets

The same evening, the NGO swimming vests distributed to another boat with 53 people in need before informed the Italian authorities about its location. It is unclear whether these people could be saved.

demand for safe escape routes

Crew member Katja Temple expressed: "Even during storms, people are forced to use risky escape routes over the Mediterranean.

Current numbers for migration

From January to December 2023, according to government statistics, over 64,000 people were saved in the central Mediterranean who attempted to reach Italy. There are 7,879 unaccompanied minors.

renewed discussion about safe corridors

The miraculous rescue has re -lived up to the debate about the provision of secure corridors for asylum seekers in Europe. At the beginning of this year, Italy tried to open migrant processing centers in Albania, but they have stalled due to legal questions in the Italian court system.