Medecins Sans Frontieres' new ship will rescue African migrants at sea in the Mediterranean

TomoNews US 2015-04-14

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Medecins Sans Frontieres will launch a new sea rescue operation to help trafficked migrants in the Mediterranean, the medical aid agency announced on Thursday.

The aid group said the mission is aimed to help replace Mare Nostrum, an Italian navy search and rescue operation that folded last year after the European nations sponsoring it decided to stop funding its €9 million ($9.57 million) monthly budget. Mare Nostrum was blamed by critics in Italy and other countries for encouraging a flood of illegal immigration to Europe.

Nearly 3,500 people died attempting to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe in 2014, making it the deadliest year on record, and more than 200,000 were rescued during the same period, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Medecins Sans Frontieres will run the search, rescue and medical aid operation in conjunction with Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a privately funded rescue service, from May to October, when thousands of people are expected to attempt the crossing.

The operation will be based on the MY Phoenix, a 40-metre rescue ship equipped with rigid-hull inflatable boats and surveillance drones. The MY Phoenix will have a crew of 20 and a medical team of two Medecins Sans Frontieres doctors and one nurse.

The European Commission replaced Mare Nostrum with a smaller rescue operation along the coast of Italy, Operation Triton, which will run until at least 2016.

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