A teenage girl is in critical condition after a boat carrying ten illegal migrants struck her off Su Giudeu beach in Chia, Italy, yesterday afternoon. The boat was transporting migrants from North Africa.
The victim sustained severe injuries, including fractures and lacerations, after being caught by the boat’s propeller. The injuries led her to lose consciousness, but she was rescued by lifeguards before she could drown. Once they could drag her to shore, they began to administer first aid.
The horrifying incident happened at approximately 4:30 p.m. in the bathing area in front of Su Giudeu beach where the 118 air ambulance landed, according to TGR.
Due to the severity of her injuries, emergency medical personnel intubated the young woman on-site. She was then airlifted via air ambulance to Brotzu Hospital in Cagliari, where she was admitted in critical condition.
While it remains unclear exactly how the young woman became trapped by the engine propeller, boats carrying undocumented migrants have increasingly appeared directly on popular swimming beaches across Europe over recent years. Often, these vessels offload their passengers right in front of shocked beachgoers.
The risk of a serious accident during these landings is high. Smugglers are often desperate to quickly unload their cargo and escape, creating high-tension situations where they fail to notice swimmers. Additionally, after grueling journeys at sea, the arriving passengers are frequently eager to scramble ashore as fast as possible.
