In her second operation since joining the EUNAVFOR mission, Spanish frigate Canarias (F-86) rescued 494 migrants from a wooden craft sailing adrift off the coast of Libya.
The frigate is part of European Union’s operation Sophia aimed at preventing criminal activities and saving lives in the Mediterranean Sea.
According to the Spanish Navy, Canarias was informed of four possible contacts near the Libyan coast and was directed to head towards an area in which she spotted a wooden boat with nearly 500 people.
The F-86 embarked 468 men, 18 women and 8 children. Once onboard they were registered and given food, fresh water and warm clothing. Those suffering from dehydration were medically treated and cared for.
The frigate later set sail towards the Isle of Lampedusa to disembark one of the migrants who was diabetic and seriously ill.
This was the frigate’s second rescue operation for operation Sophia which she joined at the end of January, 2017. The Canarias has rescued 700 people in two weeks.