Italian coast guard in mission to save 200 migrants stranded on ‘Banksy’ rescue boat

JEDDAH: The Italian coast guard launched a rescue mission on Saturday to save more than 200 migrants stranded on an overloaded boat drifting in the Mediterranean.

The migrant recovery vessel Louise Michel, funded by the British street artist Banksy, sent out a series of distress calls after picking up 219 refugees since Thursday off the coast of Libya.

A coast guard patrol boat sent from the southern Italian island of Lampedusa took on board 49 of those considered most vulnerable, including 32 women and 13 children.