**Miraculous Rescue: 11-Year-Old Girl Survives Three Days in Stormy Seas**
In a heart-wrenching tale of survival and resilience, an 11-year-old girl defied the odds by clinging to two tire inner-tubes for three harrowing days in the stormy seas after the migrant boat she was on tragically sank off the coast of Italy. This remarkable story of survival unfolded when the young girl, whose identity remains undisclosed, was discovered by the Trotamar III, a vessel operated by the refugee rescue charity Compass Collective. She was found to be the sole survivor among the 45 individuals who had embarked on the ill-fated journey towards hope and safety.
The chance encounter between the Trotamar III and the young survivor was described as nothing short of fate by Matthias Wiedenlübbert, the vessel’s skipper. “It was an incredible coincidence that we heard the child’s voice despite the engine running,” he remarked in a statement released by the German charity. The crew of the Trotamar III, responding swiftly to the distress calls of the child in the darkness of the early morning hours, initiated a daring rescue operation that would ultimately save her life.
The young girl, a native of Sierra Leone, shared with her rescuers the harrowing ordeal she had endured. Departing from Sfax, a port city in Tunisia, her journey was abruptly disrupted by a ferocious storm that unleashed its fury upon the fragile vessel she was aboard. Despite being equipped with only two inner-tubes and a life-vest, the girl exhibited remarkable courage and tenacity in the face of adversity. Deprived of basic necessities such as water and food, and battling the onset of hypothermia, she remained responsive and alert when the Compass Collective team finally reached her.
The treacherous central Mediterranean route, connecting Tunisia, Libya, Italy, and Malta, has claimed the lives of over 24,300 individuals since 2014, underscoring the perilous nature of migration across these waters. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 30,900 people have either perished or disappeared in the Mediterranean during the same period, with countless tragedies remaining undocumented.
The crew of the Trotamar III, although primarily tasked with assisting larger vessels, demonstrated exceptional bravery and humanity in conducting urgent sea rescues when the need arose. Since commencing operations in August 2023, the Trotamar III has rescued a staggering total of 1,653 individuals in distress at sea, embodying the unwavering commitment of Compass Collective to saving lives.
As search efforts for other survivors from the sunken vessel proved futile in the aftermath of the relentless storm, the crew of the Trotamar III was haunted by the grim reality of loss and devastation. Nicola Dell’Arciprete, head of Unicef in Italy, expressed profound sorrow for the tragic events unfolding in the Mediterranean, emphasizing the critical importance of safe migration routes and robust search
