The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(WASHINGTON) — The Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER) participating containership Joanna saved 105 migrants off the coast of Libya on Feb. 18.
The crew of Joanna was sailing west of Crete on a voyage to Italy when the ship was notified by rescue authorities in Malta of a possible migrant or fishing vessel in distress. The crew of Joanna located the wooden boat which was holed and taking on water. On the boat were 105 African migrants including three pregnant women and a number of children.
Despite choppy seas and high winds the crew of Joanna were able to secure it alongside the 600-foot containership. "Following the rescue of the migrants, we placed the pregnant women and children in ship's accommodations while sheltering the remainder of the survivors on the deck protected by the containers. We provided medical attention to the ill, food and blankets and notified FRONTEX of the rescue," reported the ship's captain to the AMVER center.
Joanna safely transferred the 105 survivors to Italian authorities the following day. The ship, managed by Eurobulk of Greece, enrolled in AMVER on Nov. 2, 2001.
