Defense Minister said in a post on the social media that crew at Albanian patrol vessel “Oriku”, in coordination with coastal guards of Türkiye and Greece, conducted a search and rescue operation to save 12 men, 18 women and 10 children aboard of a rubber dingy.

Illegal migrants are in good health conditions and were handed over to Turkish Coast Guard for further procedures.

The Albanian patrol boat successfully rescued 19 people in October.

Albania’s naval forces have joined the NATO Alliance crews in the international patrolling mission in the Aegean. During their patrolling missions, the Albanian navy’s vessels have helped in saving hundreds of people in the Aegean, namely immigrants who tried to reach Europe.

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The cabinet decided at its regular meeting to dispatch an Iliria-class patrol vessel and a crew of 21 Armed Forces members to join the Aegean Sea NATO Activity, part of the Sea Guardian operation.

The ship’s mission includes patrolling, maritime reconnaissance activities, providing assistance, maritime situational awareness, identification, verification, interdiction of maritime objects, as part of NATO’s ready group of ships, Standing NATO Maritime Group-2 (SNMG2), in the Aegean Sea, as part of NATO-led  operation “Sea Guardian” in the Aegean Sea.

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