Sea-Watch vessel Aurora rescues 28 survivors from Mediterranean shipwreck

The Sea-Watch rescue vessel Aurora saved 28 survivors following a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. The incident occurred in the waters between Libyan and Tunisian rescue zones. Two people, including a child, were confirmed dead, while six others, including three children, remain missing.

Rescuers first encountered a nearly deflated rubber dinghy in international waters, recovering five survivors and two bodies. An additional 23 survivors, including five women, a small child, and an infant, had managed to reach the Hasdrubal offshore platform by swimming and climbing. Following authorization from Tunisian maritime rescue authorities, the Aurora crew transferred these individuals to the ship.

The survivors, identified as citizens of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Pakistan, were assigned to disembark at the port of Lampedusa by Italian authorities. Sea-Watch spokesperson Julia Winkler criticized current border policies, calling for a state-managed European sea rescue program.