In an incredible and unprecedented incident, dozens of people were saved by a miracle when they managed to climb onto a natural gas platform after encountering bad weather and being forced to abandon their boats.
More specifically, last week, the humanitarian rescue organization SOS Mediterranee rescued 116 people from the Miskar natural gas platform, an offshore facility located in Tunisia’s search and rescue zone.
The survivors had managed to climb to the lowest level of the platform to save themselves, abandoning their boats. As they reported to the rescuers, they had already been at sea for two nights in two small boats when they were hit by bad weather. Among them were 39 minors and 13 women.
Some of those who began the journey unfortunately did not make it and were lost at sea. The others remained trapped on the platform for four days. It is worth noting that the platform is operating normally and its workers did what they could to help them while they awaited rescue.
“All competent authorities had been informed of their situation. However, states with responsibility, such as Malta, did not take action,” SOS Mediterranee stated in an announcement. “Following an urgent request, the UN Human Rights Committee issued interim measures, calling on the competent authorities to ensure rescue and safe disembarkation.”
On March 23, the survivors were safely disembarked at the port of Marina di Carrara in Italy.
The Miskar platform is located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia, and was developed by the BG Group, which is now owned by Shell. It has proven reserves of approximately 1.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. It is located about one-third of the distance between Tunisia and Malta and is not a common destination for migratory flows.
