‘URGENT RISK’

Boat Carrying 400 Migrants Has Now Been Adrift for 24 Hours

The vessel’s hull has allegedly been taking on water, with passengers jumping overboard in desperation.

A boat carrying over 400 migrants has been stranded in the Mediterranean Sea for over 24 hours, sparking concern for its passengers among human rights groups. The boat, which had departed from Tobruk, Libya, sent out multiple distress calls as it drifted between Italy and Malta, according to CNN. The vessel’s hull has allegedly been taking on water, with passengers jumping overboard in desperation and passing merchant vessels instructed only to drop off fuel and provisions, rather than conducting a rescue. “Due to the number of people on the boat and the current weather conditions, there is an urgent risk that the boat will capsize,” a spokesperson for NGO Sea-Watch said, making an urgent call for a rescue operation.