Lampedusa, dinghy in difficult rescued. Coastguard and Marines save 70 migrants.

From Repubblica Palermo
The rescue operation which began following a frantic phone call to the coastguard concluded yesterday evening. It was the migrants themselves who raised the alarm when the boat they were travelling began to get into difficulty.

The transfer of the 70 migrants from a 10 metre dinghy concluded yesterday evening. Late Thursday afternoon, the Palermo coastguard received a phone call via satellite phone asking for help. The call came from a dinghy full of migrants, which was adrift in the Sicilian Channel about 67 miles south-east of Lampedusa. A ship of the Foscari Marine Military, which was already in the area, was sent along with two coastguard patrol boats (CP301, C312) from Lampdeusa. The Marine Military boat arrived at 1900 and began offering the necessary assistance until the two patrol boats arrived on the scene. At approximately 2140 the transfer of the 68 migrants, including 8 women, was complete. A man and woman who were suffering mild dizziness were taken aboard the Military ship. The rest of the migrants are reported to be in good health. The rescue operation was not easy due to the weather conditions. The migrants, who are of sub- Saharan origin, arrived on Lampedusa during the night.
http://palermo.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/10/26/news/lampedusa_soccorso_un_gommone_in_difficolt_marina_e_guardia_costiera_salvano_70_migranti-45339438/