Young Migrant Girl Found alive After 3 Days at Sea
An 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone, miraculously found alive after spending three days adrift in the Mediterranean Sea, is being hailed as a poignant symbol of the ongoing migrant tragedy. the young survivor was rescued by the German-flagged sailboat Trotamar III on Wednesday off the coast of Lampedusa,Italy’s southernmost island.
The girl was discovered by the sailboatS crew, who heard her voice despite the engines running. “It was an unbelievable coincidence,” said Matthias Weidenluebbert, the sailboat’s captain. “She was weary and tired and cold, but in general, she was fine when we fetched her out of the water,” said Katja Tempel, a member of the German humanitarian group Compass Collective, which operates in the Mediterranean.
The girl recounted a harrowing tale of survival. according to her account, she had embarked on a perilous journey from Tunisia aboard a metal boat with approximately 45 other people.She clung to life for three days using a lifejacket and improvised flotation devices made from inflated inner tubes. Tragically, contact with two other passengers was lost two days before her rescue, and their fate remains unknown. “We assume that they all drowned, but we don’t know what,” Tempel said, emphasizing the grim reality faced by countless migrants attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing.
The rescue occurred after days of relentless storms with winds exceeding 23 knots and waves towering over 2.5 meters (8 feet). The Trotamar III, a 13-metre vessel with a dedicated crew of six, has been involved in humanitarian rescue efforts for 16 months and has already saved over 230 lives. Following the girl’s rescue, the crew distributed life jackets to 53 people on board a struggling wooden boat without a motor and alerted Italian authorities to their location.
“I want to emphasize, this girl is just a sign for the (deaths) in the Mediterranean,” Tempel said. “She’s one person, and it’s very sad that she probably lost her relatives. But it is just a symbol for the tragedy that is happening.”
The tragedy underscores the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. United Nations statistics, largely based on survivor accounts, reveal a staggering number of lives lost: 1,536 people have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean so far this year. In contrast, 64,234 migrants have reached Italy, a 58% decrease from last year.
## Miracle at Sea: 11-Year-Old Migrant Girl Survives Mediterranean Ordeal
**Archyde News:** This week, an 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone became a beacon of hope and heartbreak in the ongoing Mediterranean migrant crisis. After spending three harrowing days adrift, clinging to life with nothing but a lifejacket and improvised flotation devices, she was found alive by the German-flagged sailboat Trotamar III.[ [[1](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20241211-eleven-year-old-survives-shipwreck-40-migrants-missing-in-mediterranean)]
The young survivor recounted a devastating story. She had embarked on a perilous journey from Tunisia aboard a metal boat with around 45 other people. days into their voyage,tragedy struck. Rough seas ripped through their vessel, separating her from two other passengers. These fellow travelers, believed to be her relatives, remain missing presumed drowned.
“It was an unbelievable coincidence,” saeid Matthias Weidenluebbert, captain of the Trotamar III, who along with his crew heard the girl’s voice despite the ship’s engines. “She was weary and tired and cold, but in general, she was fine when we fetched her out of the water.”
Katja Tempel, a member of the German humanitarian group Compass Collective which operates the Trotamar III, stressed the gravity of the situation. “This girl is just a sign for the tragedies happening in the Mediterranean,” she said. “She’s only one person…but she’s a symbol for the tragedy that is happening.”
This rescue comes as the Mediterranean boat migration crisis deepens. At least 40 people are feared dead following this girl’s harrowing ordeal, highlighting the perilous nature of these journeys. Tempel stated that “we assume that they all drowned” but emphasizes that the girl’s story underscores the urgent need for solutions to this ongoing humanitarian crisis.
**Q:** Who was rescued from the Mediterranean Sea?
**A:** An 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone was rescued.
**Q:** How long had she been adrift at sea?
**A:** She had been adrift for three days.
**Q:** What type of vessel rescued her?
**A:** She was rescued by the German-flagged sailboat Trotamar III.
**Q:** Who are Matthias Weidenluebbert and Katja Tempel?
**A:** Matthias Weidenluebbert is the captain of the Trotamar III. Katja Tempel is a member of the German humanitarian group Compass Collective, which operates the Trotamar III.
**Q:** What condition was the girl in when she was found?
**A:** She was weary, tired, and cold, but or else okay.
**Q:** What happened to the other passengers on the boat with the girl?
**A:** She had been traveling with approximately 45 other people, but two passengers were lost two days before her rescue. Their fate is unknown, and they are presumed drowned.
**Q:** What were the weather conditions like during her ordeal?
**A:** There were relentless storms with winds exceeding 23 knots and waves over 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall.
