Georgian sailors rescue 10 migrants from Atlantic Ocean

Georgian sailors saved the lives of 10 migrants from an inflatable boat in the Atlantic Ocean last week, Georgian media outlet Batumelebi Netgazeti reported on Monday. 

Giorgi Gogitidze, one of the sailors onboard the vessel that rescued the group, told Batumelebi Tengo Diasamidze, a Senior Assistant to the Captain, noticed the small boat in the Gulf of Cadiz, 185 kilometres west of Gibraltar. 

When he looked through the binoculars, the people on the boat were calling for help. He immediately informed the Captain, Aleko Surmanidze. The Captain made a decision that we would help”, Gogitidze said.

Batumelebi said the group on the boat were Moroccan citizens who had left the city of Mohammed on August 15 to attempt to reach the coast of Spain, but ended up in the open sea without food, drinking water or other supplies.

The Georgian sailors lowered a rescue ladder into the ocean and pulled out the migrants in their effort. 

We provided them with first aid, gave them clothes, and applied medicine to the sunburned ones. They told us they would not have been able to survive this evening if not for us", Gogitidze said. 

The sailor told the outlet the migrants were eventually taken from the vessel by the Spanish border police.