German navy saves 158 refugees in Mediterranean Sea

A German naval vessel has intercepted and rescued 158 refugees off the coast of Libya on Wednesday.

The frigate Mecklenburg Vorpommern encountered the individuals tightly-cramped in a small dinghy around 100 kilometres off the Libyan capital Tripoli and 200 kilometres off the Italian island of Lampedusa, according to Bundeswehr, or the Federal Armed Forces.

The joint rescue mission was conducted together with the non-governmental organization (NGO) Open Arms. Six women, including one pregnant, and 55 children and youths were among those on board the inflatable dinghy.

The refugees received medical treatment on board of the Mecklenburg Vorpommern and will now be brought to the Sicilian harbour of Augusta.

Naval rescue missions in the Mediterranean are coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Rome.

According to German navy, it has rescued a total of 21,358 in distress at sea since May 2015.