A sailboat belonging to Italian charity Mediterranea has rescued 54 people including pregnant women and children in distress off the Libyan coast, the charity said on Thursday.
"All 54 survivors have been rescued and are now aboard," Mediterranea, which is made up of left-wing activists, tweeted.
"Among them 11 women (three pregnant) and 4 children.... Happy to have rescued 54 lives from the hell of Libya. Now we need a safe port."
Italian authorities informed them that the area was the responsibility of the Libyan coast guard which was sending vessels, Mediterranea said. "But people must be rescued, not captured and deported back to Libya."
An Italian journalist aboard the Alex quoted one migrant as saying "better ten years here than one second in Libya."