More than 350 migrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast by the Ocean Viking humanitarian vessel in just two days, a European NGO running the boat said on Saturday. Since Thursday, a total of 374 people have been rescued by the Ocean Viking, of whom 165 are children, SOS Mediterranee said. The Ocean Viking took to the seas on January 11 after being blocked in Italy for five months before being released in December. Ocean Viking is currently the sole rescue ship run by an NGO in the area, according to SOS Mediterranee's head, Sophie Beau, who said "the others have been blocked by Italian authorities like the Ocean Viking earlier". Most migrants leave from Libya and Tunisia attempting a hazardous Mediterranean crossing to try and enter Europe through Italy.

Source: Libya Today January 23, 2021 14:48 UTC