On 1 January 2023, following a request from the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, our team rescued 41 people in distress in international waters off Libya. The life-saving operation was carried out in total darkness and in difficult conditions, as the boat capsized and people were recovered from the water.

Despite the traumatic experience, the 41 survivors, including two women, are now safely aboard GeoBarents and being cared for by the MSF team.

On the same night, our team also received a transshipment of another 44 people from a merchant vessel and got assigned Taranto as a place of safety to disembark the 85 survivors aboard Geo Barents.