A pregnant woman went into labor shortly after being saved from a migrant boat in the Mediterranean Sea and was flown by helicopter to Italy on Monday.
Rescue teams from the German charity Sea Watch discovered the overcrowded vessel carrying 67 people in distress on Monday morning in the Central Mediterranean.
They distributed lifejackets before moving everyone to the group’s rescue ship, Sea-Watch 5.
It soon became clear that the woman was facing rare complications, with urgent onshore medical attention needed to save both her and her baby.
An emergency appeal was made to nearby coastal states; Italy and Malta, for a rapid medical evacuation that same afternoon.
Shortly before 7 p.m., Italy dispatched a helicopter and successfully transported the woman to safety.
