23 May 2011

LAMPEDUSA / SEA RESCUE

The Lampedusa Coast Guard rescued around 500 migrants from Libya last week after the boat they were traveling on caught fire. UNHCR

Posted at: May 23, 2011 1:10 pm

Duration: 02:01

Available in: SD

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STORY: LAMPEDUSA / SEA RESCUE
TRT: 2.01
SOURCE:
RESTRICTIONS:
LANGUAGE: ITALIAN / NATS

DATELINE: 19 MAY 2011, LAMPEDUSA, ITALY

SHOTLIST:

1. Various shots, Italian border patrol bringing migrants into dock at Lampedusa
2. Various shots, migrants on board
3. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Commander Antonio Morana, Lampedusa coastguard:
"I coordinated the operation of six naval units, three from the border police and three from the coastguard. It was a search and rescue operation for around 500 people on a boat with a suspected engine problem. The boat had stopped."
4. Various shots, migrants disembarking
5. Med shot, medics attend to sick passenger
6. Wide shot, women leave coast port
7. Various shots, coastguard boat arriving at port with more migrants
8. Wide shot, Coastguard boats at port

STORYLINE:

It's the latest rescue mission. Italian border police picked up these people several miles out at sea as they headed for the coast of Italy. The boat they took from Libya didn't make it. 
The five hundred passengers were transferred on to coastguard and custom patrol boats and brought to the island of Lampedusa.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) Commander Antonio Morana, Lampedusa Coastguard:
"I coordinated the operation of six naval units, three from the border police and three from the coastguard. It was a search and rescue operation for around 500 people on a boat with a suspected engine problem. The boat had stopped."

These people are lucky to be safe on dry land. Probably unaware that as they were helped onshore, three migrants on another boat died trying to reach Sicily.

All have endured harsh conditions at sea, little food or water and no protection from the cold. One man collapsed as he waited to disembark.

At least here there was help.

And emergency care on arrival.

Amongst these survivors were around thirty women, exhausted from their ordeal at sea.

It took over two days to reach Italian waters. 
The group set sail from the Libyan coast, just west of the capital Tripoli. Most were African migrant workers, others were refugees, trapped in the country for months by the ongoing conflict.

Some didn't even know where they had landed until told by aid workers and medical teams at the port.

Almost 38,000 have made the dangerous sea crossing from North Africa so far this year 14,000 left from Libya seeking refuge in Italy.

Despite warnings by aid agencies, it's thought many more will attempt the journey as sea conditions improve over the summer.

Filed under 13.01.00 - PROTECTION OF AND ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS ITALY LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA UNHCR - Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.