Two NATO ships, the Polish warship Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki and the German warship Datteln, rescued 9 migrants in an inflatable boat on 16 June. The incident occurred 80 km off the Spanish coast. The German warship initially provided water to the migrants on the inflatable. Spanish rescue services were notified when it appeared the migrant boat was taking on water. A Spanish Salvamento Marítimo boat took the migrants on board and transported them to Spain. The two NATO ships were participating in NATO Operation Active Endeavour which is the post-9/11 anti-terrorism operation in the Mediterranean and northern Red Sea aimed at protecting merchant vessels against attacks by terrorists.
Click here for Polish Navy press statement.
Click here (EN) and here (PL) for articles.
German warship Datteln and Spanish Salvamento Marítimo boat. © Polish Navy / Marynarka Wojenna RP
MIGRANTS AT SEA 