An 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone was rescued near Italy’s Lampedusa island after surviving three days adrift in the Mediterranean Sea. She is believed to be the sole survivor of a shipwreck involving a migrant boat that had departed from Sfax, Tunisia, according to the German charity Compass Collective.
The young girl was discovered by the Trotamar III, a German-flagged sailboat participating in humanitarian rescue missions. The crew acted quickly after hearing her faint cries amid stormy conditions with winds over 23 knots and waves reaching 2.5 meters.
Matthias Weidenluebbert, the sailboat’s captain, described the rescue as an “incredible coincidence,” emphasizing the challenges posed by the storm.
“She was exhausted, cold, and tired, but overall, she was fine,” said Katja Tempel, a representative of Compass Collective.
The girl recounted her harrowing ordeal, explaining that she had floated using air-filled inner tubes and a life jacket. She initially set off with about 45 others aboard a metal boat but lost contact with the last two survivors two days before her rescue.
Rescuers fear the remaining passengers drowned, highlighting the grim reality of migrant journeys across the Mediterranean.
“This girl is a symbol of the ongoing tragedy,” Tempel said. “It’s heartbreaking that she likely lost her relatives, but her survival sheds light on the dire situation faced by thousands.”
The Trotamar III, a 13-meter vessel with a six-person rotating crew, has been involved in rescue operations for 16 months. Over this period, the team has assisted more than 1,700 people, distributing life jackets, reporting locations to authorities, and sometimes bringing stranded individuals onboard.
Shortly after rescuing the girl, the crew encountered a wooden boat carrying 53 people without a motor. They provided life jackets and alerted Italian authorities for further assistance.
The United Nations reports that 1,536 people have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean in 2024, based on survivor accounts. Meanwhile, 64,234 migrants have reached Italy this year, a significant decrease compared to last year’s 153,211 arrivals during the same period.
Despite the decline in numbers, the perilous journeys continue to claim lives.
“This girl’s survival reminds us of the urgent need for action,” Tempel added. “Her story is one of hope but also of immense loss.”
