292 immigrants were rescued some 40 miles south of Lampedusa, a few hours after the volunteers of the Order of Malta’s Italian Ambulance Corps had started their medical assistance service on board the Coast Guards’ patrol boats. Dr Gabriella Varisano and professional nurse Vincenzo Trupiano paid particular attention to the conditions of some children and to three pregnant women, two of whom were close to giving birth.

For seven months the Italian Ambulance Corps’ volunteers will provide medical assistance day and night on the Coast Guards’ boats operating in the Strait of Sicily. This is the second year in which this service has been performed. After the excellent results obtained in 2008, it has been decided to continue the cooperation between the Order of Malta and the Italian Coast Guards also in 2009.

The Order of Malta’s Italian Ambulance Corps is a civil defence unit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta’s Association of Italian Knights.