Dramatic video captured by the Italian coastal guard on April 23 shows a boat carrying dozens of migrants tipping over and capsizing, throwing everyone into the cold water.
Rescuers shouted “don’t move” repeatedly as panic broke out off the coast of Libya. The keenness of some migrants to reach safety led to too much movement on the overcrowded vessel, which began to tip over.
Those on board started yelling as they were thrown into the Mediterranean sea.
That’s when one of the rescuers jumped in to save the migrants.
According to a statement by the Italian Guardia Costiera, 63 migrants were involved in the incident and each of them were pulled out of the water safely.
They were all wearing life jackets.
But others weren’t so lucky the day before. The Libyan coast guard recovered the bodies of 11 migrants who died during an attempted crossing from Libya to Italy on April 22, according to the rescue group.
Coast guards say that the number of people crossing from Africa to Italy will increase dramatically as spring turns to summer.
- With files from Reuters
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