Children among 73 migrants rescued near Libya
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AHMED ECHI, OPEN ARMS RESCUE TEAM MEMBER, SAYING:
"An injure in the leg ok? maybe they shot them, maybe, we don't know but maybe shot, we have to verify."
Migrants packed into a rubber dinghy off the coast of Libya.
At this point they've been drifting for nearly 24 hours after the engine broke down.
Spanish rescue ship Open Arms have come to save them, pulling 73 of them including two children to safety.
Once out of the crammed water-logged dinghy it was time to celebrate.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ABDUL BASIT, RESCUED MIGRANT FROM GHANA SAYING:
"We were just rescued by the Open Arms, we are very happy, I don't know how to show how happy we are me and my teammates, my friends, my family, all of us we are very happy."
These migrants are mostly from Central and Western Africa.
One young man from Niger was suffering from gunshot wounds. He says he got them in a Libyan detention center in early November.
It was the Spanish charity vessel's latest rescue, after repeatedly clashing with governments in Italy and Malta in its bid to save migrants attempting the perilous crossing to Europe.
The NGO is now seeking to disembark at a European port.
