In a statement, EMGFA writes that the coastal patrol vessel “Mondego”, of the Navy, is part of “operation INDALO 2022, under the aegis of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency – FRONTEX, in southern Spain”.

While carrying out a “patrol in the defined area, during the night of October 31”, the ship “intercepted a migrant vessel, identified by the C-295 aircraft, of the Portuguese Air Force, integrated in the same operation”.

“After the interception, the ship was able to identify 11 migrants on board (five male and three female), of which one was five months pregnant and three children aged between five and 16 years old,” the note reads.

According to the EMGFA, “the ship, in cooperation with the ICC Madrid, carried out the onboard rescue of all the migrants, providing them with medical care, supplies and heating blankets”.

“Later, the ship moved to a meeting point next to the port of Cartagena, where it transferred all the migrants to the vessel SALVAMAR DRACO, which completed the rescue ashore”, he adds.