The Italian navy rescued 100 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean on Thursday, as 178 others were taken to the Italian island of Lampedusa, and Malta, officials said. The Italian navy said the lives of the 100 people it rescued had been in imminent danger after their boat's engine failed in worsening weather. The migrants, who sent an SOS signal to Alarm Phone, a volunteer-run Mediterranean rescue hotline, had said that a five-year-old girl on board had perished, but the navy said no one had died. Alarm Phone, which is operated by German association Watch the Med, said the Italian vessel could have rescued the stricken migrants "nearly a day ago". Malta has appealed to the EU for help in dealing with the flow of migrants, which its much larger neighbour Italy has begun to turn away.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 30, 2019 17:48 UTC