Sea-Watch rescue 44 migrants from abandoned oil rig in Mediterranean

Published on 04/04/2026 - 16:17 GMT+2

A Sea-Watch rescue vessel arrived successful Lampedusa Saturday carrying 44 migrants rescued from an abandoned lipid rig successful the Mediterranean.

Sea-Watch, a non-profit oversea rescue group, said the migrants were connected the lipid rig ‘Didon’ aft taking refuge to flight a storm.

The beingness of the migrants connected the lipid rig, successful the waters betwixt Tunisia and Libya, was reported connected Wednesday by Alarm Phone, a radical of volunteers who grip exigency calls from migrants.

Initially it was thought determination were 47 radical aboard the rig.

Earlier, successful Italy, authorities recovered 19 radical dormant and rescued 58 others aft intercepting a dinghy filled with migrants that was successful distress astir 80 nautical miles from the confederate Italian land of Lampedusa connected Tuesday night.

The seashore defender said the migrants had astir apt departed from Libya and the victims apt died of hypothermia, but the origin of the deaths inactive needed to beryllium verified.

The tiny land of Lampedusa is the main introduction constituent to Europe for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa, with thousands dying during the perilous journey.

Most of the deaths person been attributed to tiny boats mounting disconnected from the coasts of Tunisia and Libya.