65 Libyan migrants rescued by Italian supply vessel

An Italian supply vessel rescued 65 Libyan migrants that were stranded on a wooden boat Saturday.

The Asso Ventinove supply vessel rescued all 65 migrants, including five children, after it was spotted by an NGO monitoring aircraft, The Associated Press reported. An AP journalist was reportedly aboard the aircraft when it spotted the boat. 

The aircraft, called the Seabird, was flying over the Mediterranean when it located the wooden boat whose engine stopped working. 

The Seabird reportedly used radio communication to speak with the Italian ship and learned that the captain of the Asso Ventinove said he was awaiting orders from Rome to get a safe place to transport the migrants. 

The Libyan coast guard came to inspect the scene shortly after the the migrants disembarked the wooden boat. The authorities likely took back the engine, according to the wire service.

News of the wooden boat carrying the migrants is just the latest unseaworthy vessel to turn up in the Mediterranean. Thousands of migrants from the North African country have sought to escape to Europe from the country rife with conflict. 

At the end of August, over 500 migrants were rescued by Italian coast guard from a fishing boat off the coast of Lampedusa, an Italian island. A doctor at the scene reported at the time that it looked like some of the migrants had endured physical abuse. 

There are 44,000 migrants so far who have made it to European shores while fleeing Libya and Tunisia, according to the AP. Half of these people have been taken to Lampedusa.