Fourteen people were rescued on Thursday morning after they were found by a fishing boat off the coast of Torrevieja. They had been in the water, wearing lifejackets, since Wednesday and included a woman, a seven-year-old girl and a young baby, who was placed in the remains of a plastic drum.
The boat in which they were traveling capsized on Wednesday and, when rescued, they had been floating in the open sea for nearly 18 hours. The fourteen were all Algerian nationals and were transferred to the port of Alicante after they had suffered the rigors of the heat wave during the day and the night bobbing about in the sea. Although yet to be confirmed, it is thought that there could be at least two other deaths and a missing person.
The rescued people included ten men, a woman, a seven-year-old girl and a two-month-old baby who are now being treated not only for burns, but also for jellyfish stings. Red Cross sources said that some have burns were caused by the mixture of sea saltpeter and diesel.
This was the second boat to be rescued at sea on Thursday, as fifteen people from another boat were located first thing in the morning, at about 6:30 a.m. fifty miles off the coast of Alicante.
The alert of the shipwrecked boat was given by a fishing vessel on Thursday noon after it spotted a number of people floating in the sea. The fishing boat ‘Nuevo Joaquina Antonio’ found them 45 miles southwest of Alicante, immediately notifying the Emergency Services that they had people in sight in the water.
The humanitarian action of this ship, based in the port of Almería, has contributed to saving the lives of the immigrants, while the rescue workers arrived. The rescued migrants have told them that the boat they were traveling in capsized around 5:30 p.m. the day before, since which time they had been in the sea waiting for help.
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The skipper of the fishing boat said that he was very impressed by the condition of those rescued and just a few hours later he personally contacted the Red Cross to inquire about the state of the baby.
All of those rescued were wearing life jackets, so they were able to stay afloat. The Salvamar Leo Maritime Rescue vessel was the first to attend the shipwreck.
Initially there was some confusion and even contradictory data, because it was not known if they had been able to get all the immigrants out of the water. According to the statements of those who were rescued, there were two people dead and one missing, and although not confirmed the patrol boat and a Sasemar 305 aircraft were tasked with exploring the area in a search for the possible missing persons.
One of those floating in the water was rescued by a Maritime Rescue and taken to the Alicante-Elche airport, where he received assistance. The rest were taken to the Alicante port by the Salvamar Leo, where a team from the Red Cross was waiting to provide medical assistance.
Sources from the rescue service said that some of them could hardly move due to exhaustion. Among them, a baby and a young girl, whose condition was said to be serious, although there was no fear for their lives. Many of those rescued also had numerous injuries to their bodies, having spent the night in the water and without being able to sleep. They also spent long hours under the sun, on a day in which the heat was intense. Red Cross volunteers had to help them move from the boat to the health care point, with many of them unable to even stand up.
One of the Red Cross volunteers also said that, according to the comments of those rescued, it was the vests that allowed them to remain floating in the sea. In the case of the baby, the immigrants said that they cut a gasoline drum open to put the little one inside, using it as a lifeboat, while the others were making shadows, with their hands to protect him from the sun.
Images Alicante Red Cross
