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An 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone, identified as Yasmine, was rescued after surviving three days at sea following a shipwreck. The migrant boat she was on sank off the coast of Italy near Lampedusa. Yasmine was found clinging to tire tubes with a life jacket by the crew of the Trotamar III, a German rescue vessel operated by the NGO Compass Collective, early Wednesday morning (December 11).
The boat had departed from Sfax, Tunisia, with approximately 45 people on board, including Yasmine's younger brother. A storm caused the metal boat to overturn, and Yasmine was the only known survivor. She told rescuers that two others initially survived but disappeared into the water before her rescue. All other passengers are presumed dead.
According to CNN, Yasmine was found by the Trotamar III crew, who heard her cries despite the engine noise. "It was an incredible coincidence that we heard the child’s voice," said skipper Matthias Wiedenlübbert. The girl was taken to Lampedusa, where she is being treated for hypothermia and is expected to recover.
The incident has reignited discussions about the dangers faced by migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. The Independent reports that more than 64,000 people have been rescued in the Central Mediterranean this year, with over 1,500 presumed dead or missing. The tragedy highlights the need for safer migration routes and has prompted calls for action from humanitarian organizations.