An 11-year-old girl survives a shipwreck and three days at sea by crafting a life ring, demonstrating remarkable resourcefulness.
In a remarkable story of survival, an 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone became the only known survivor of a tragic shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea.
The girl endured three long days at sea after her boat sank during a storm, a situation that claimed the lives of 45 other passengers.
11-year-old girl began her dangerous journey.
The girl was on a metal boat that was trying to reach Europe.
The boat left from Sfax, Tunisia, heading toward the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Unfortunately, the journey took a dangerous turn when a severe storm struck.
The storm brought high waves of about 11.5 feet, making it impossible for the boat to stay afloat.
The boat capsized, and the young girl found herself thrown into the ocean.
The girl creates makeshift life ring to miraculously survive three days at sea after shipwreck
After the shipwreck, the girl was left alone in the dark waters.
She was with two other passengers at first, but they quickly lost sight of each other in the chaos.
Using her quick thinking, she created makeshift life rings from inner tubes and a simple life jacket she found.
This helped her stay afloat as she drifted in the open sea.
For three days, she floated in the water, battling hunger and fear.
The girl had no food or drinking water during this time.
Despite the harsh conditions, she managed to keep her spirits up. She focused on survival and hoped for rescue.
The rescue team heard her calling for help.
On the morning of the third day, at around 3:20 a.m., a rescue team from a German charity called CompassCollective was out on a different mission.
They were already on their boat, Trotamar III, when they heard a faint voice calling for help.
Skipper Matthias Wiedenlübbert described it as an incredible coincidence that they could hear her over the noise of their engine.
When the team reached the girl, they were shocked to find her alive.
She was responsive and aware, despite her dire situation.
The rescue team provided her with medical assistance, checking on her condition after her long ordeal in the cold water.
She arrived safely at the center.
Around 6 a.m., the girl was taken to a migrant holding center in Lampedusa.
There, she received care from staff members of the Italian Red Cross.
They made sure she was warm and comfortable after her terrifying experience.
While she was safe now, the rescue team continued to search for other survivors, but the storm had made it difficult to find anyone else.
The young girl’s experience is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by many migrants trying to reach Europe.
CompassCollective’s Katja Tempel highlighted that people often risk their lives to escape dangerous situations in their home countries.
The Mediterranean Sea has become one of the most perilous migration routes in the world.
UNICEF’s representative in Italy, Nicola Dell’Arciprete, expressed his concerns for the girl’s safety and the tragedy of those who did not survive.
He pointed out that as many celebrate the holiday season with loved ones, many others are still facing life-threatening challenges.
A call for change
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that since 2014, over 24,300 people have gone missing or died while trying to cross the Mediterranean.
The organization’s Director General, António Vitorino, emphasized the urgent need for safe migration routes and better support for refugees.
He called the situation in the central Mediterranean “intolerable” and urged countries to welcome those seeking refuge.