Italian Navy’s ITS San Giorgio, after a previous experience from past March to July, resumes her role of flagship for the 29th Naval Group, commanded by Rear Admiral Mario Culcasi, thus taking over ITS San Giusto and providing active support to patrol activities in the Mediterranean.
The unit, commanded by Captain Antonino Lo Duca, has always been tasked to locate and identify boats with migrants onboard, and has often tackled emergency situations, rescuing hundreds of people risking their lives on rickety boats.
ITS San Giorgio has already saved over 500 people fleeing their homeland. All the S&R operations have been run in cooperation with other public agencies and private organizations: the State Police, the Associazione Rava, the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps, the Ministry of Health, the Italian Red Cross (Save the Children to join soon) whose constant presence onboard has granted support to the crew members in all the activities inherent Operation Mare Nostrum.
The latest 263 migrants have been rescued only a few days ago, and safely ferried to Messina, while 4 alleged smugglers have been incriminated for illegal migration.
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Press release, Image: Italian Navy