Naval vessels from across Europe have joined together to save around 3,500 migrants in trouble off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean – one of the highest numbers rescued in a 24-hour period.
Italian, German and Irish ships as well as a private charity boat from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) intervened to help several overcrowded vessels.
#MOAS coordinated the rescue of over 2,000 people together with Italian, Irish & German ships. #SavingLives #MSF pic.twitter.com/FM8kCMVxCf— MOAS (@moas_eu) June 6, 2015
The British navy ship HMS Bulwark was also on its way to help amid reports that all European naval vessels were being sent to the area.
For the second successive weekend human traffickers have been taking advantage of good weather.
The migrants saved in Saturday’s mass European rescue effort were said to be mostly from Eritrea.
The tiny, putrid hold next to the engine that 250 migrants were packed into on one boat moas_eu MSF_Sea pic.twitter.com/aFi5POsh7M—
