Sierra Leonean girl rescued after three days adrift in the Mediterranean
A dramatic rescue in the Mediterranean has brought attention to the human toll of migration, as an 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone was saved after three days adrift at sea. Her 44 companions, including children and adults, are feared dead after their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia.
The girl was found early Wednesday morning by the crew of the Trotamar III, operated by Compass Collective, a non-governmental rescue organisation.
Rescuers heard her cries for help while en route to another emergency and found her floating with a life jacket and two inner tubes.
She recounted the terrifying moments when the metal boat sank within seconds during a storm with waves up to 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) high. She had initially clung to life alongside two others but was eventually left alone in the vast, stormy sea.
The child was handed over to Italian authorities on the island of Lampedusa, where she received care and was able to walk and talk.
Her rescue underscores the immense risks faced by migrants attempting the perilous journey to Europe.
According to the International Organization for Migration, over 30,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean in the last decade.
This year, more than 63,000 have arrived in Italy alone, though stricter immigration policies have slowed the influx.
As Europe grapples with the complexities of migration, stories like this reveal the personal tragedies behind the statistics and the urgent need for humane solutions.
