Italian special forces land to rescue cargo ship crew

Italian special forces used helicopters to land on a cargo ship in the Mediterranean, rescuing the crew from a group of men threatening them with knives.

Italian Marine Special Forces on June 9 organized an operation to rescue 22 sailors on the cargo ship Galata Seaways in the Mediterranean, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said.

The crew had previously sent out distress signals claiming they were being attacked by “pirates.” However, the Italian Ministry of Defense said that the group was a group of illegal immigrants who had sneaked onto the Galata Seaways when the ship docked in Turkey, preparing to sail to France.

The Galata Seaways is a Turkish-flagged cargo ship that transports vehicles. The migrants may have boarded the ship in the hope of reaching Europe.

A group of 15 migrants were discovered by the crew while the ship was near the island of Ischia, in Italian waters. The group used knives to threaten and take several crew members hostage, barricading themselves in the cockpit.

The captain of the Galata Seaways initially called Turkey for help, who contacted Italian authorities to offer assistance.

Italian special forces landed by helicopter on the cargo ship Galata Seaways on June 9. Photo: Annadolu

After Italian special forces boarded the ship, some members of the illegal immigrants were arrested. However, some other suspects may still be hiding on the ship.

"This is a large cargo ship and very easy to hide. When they heard the helicopter, some suspects ran away, probably trying to jump into the sea," said Defense Minister Crosetto.

He said security forces briefly took control of the ship. The entire crew is safe. Italian authorities are investigating to clarify the purpose and identity of the suspects.

The rescue operation also involved Italian coast guard and economic police vessels. The cargo ship Galata Seaways was then escorted to Naples and anchored outside the port while the incident was investigated.

Thanh Danh (According to AFP )

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