Over 30 migrants, including two children, have been stranded for three days on an oil rig off the coast of Tunisia and urgently require assistance, according to a statement from the Sea-Watch charity on Monday.
A reconnaissance aircraft operated by Sea-Watch identified the group on the Miskar oil platform on Saturday, where an empty rubber dinghy was found floating nearby.
The organization confirmed that the individuals were seen wrapped in blankets on the platform’s deck, attempting to shield themselves from the harsh wind and waves.
Alarm Phone, a group that provides a helpline for migrants at sea, reported on X that they had communicated with the migrants on Sunday, learning that one person had died and several others were unwell.
“They have not eaten for several days,” Alarm Phone stated.
Sea-Watch indicated that the migrants had initially fled from Libya and called on European authorities to take immediate action to rescue them.
European governments, aiming to reduce irregular immigration, have established agreements with Tunisia and Libya to intercept and return sea migrants, despite facing criticism from human rights organizations.
