The Icelandic Coast Guard’s Cruiser (ICP), Aegir rescued 58 Syrian and Afghan fugitives abandoned in a gully off the Radopos Peninsula in the Greek island of Crete last Saturday; the cruiser was recruited to monitor the Mediterreanean by Frontex, an independent body of the European Union Agency specializing in coordinating the operational cooperation between member states in the field of border security, until the end of October.
ICP at work. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
The cruiser resuced 30 men, 16 women 2 of which are pregnant, and children as young as 12 years old, mbl.is reports. The group was in good health when rescued after 14 hours search and rescue operation; the emergency call came on Friday night, ruv.is reports.
“The rescue operation was challenging for the crew and the circumstances were extremely difficult toward the end due to rough seas, Captain Einar Valsson told ruv.is. However, the rescue operation was successful and the group were taken to Souda in Crete.
JB
