Braving challenging conditions, the crew managed to save 15 people, including three teenagers.
The vessel was en route from Valencia, Spain, to Alexandria, Egypt, carrying a shipment of cars. About 42 nautical miles north of the Libyan coastline, on a calm and sunny sea, the crew spotted an unusual shape on the horizon. Through binoculars, the lookout confirmed it was a small, overcrowded inflatable boat drifting aimlessly, with passengers frantically waving for help.

Captain Roberto Jiménez immediately altered course, ordered the crew to prepare the emergency rescue gear, and lowered the ship’s rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB). “We were on a tight delivery schedule, but when faced with a life-threatening situation, there was no hesitation,” Captain Jiménez later recalled. “We knew that failing to act could have been fatal.”

As the cargo ship drew closer, the scale of the crisis became clear. The passengers—migrants from several sub-Saharan African nations—had been adrift for more than 24 hours after their outboard motor failed. Many were suffering from dehydration, heat exhaustion, and early signs of hypothermia from the previous cold night.

Within minutes, two trained crew members and a volunteer medic set off in the RHIB toward the inflatable boat. The boarding process was tense—the vessel was extremely unstable, and one wrong move could have capsized it. Survivors were transferred one by one to the RHIB, fitted with life jackets, and brought aboard the cargo ship, where the hold had been converted into a temporary care station.

The crew distributed bottled water, high-calorie emergency rations, and foil thermal blankets, while the onboard medic carried out basic medical checks. For Musa, a 17-year-old boy who was initially found unconscious, the swift rescue proved crucial—within an hour, he had fully regained consciousness.

Once the immediate danger had passed, Captain Jiménez contacted the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Rome to arrange a safe disembarkation. Under MRCC’s guidance, the cargo ship altered course toward Sicily, where the Italian Coast Guard met the vessel and transferred the survivors to a humanitarian reception facility.

For DIFD AUTO—a global automotive trading platform dedicated to connecting resources across continents—the incident underscored a deeply held belief: commerce is also about responsibility. While best known for its vast logistics network and automotive trade expertise, the company has long invested in community projects through its “Global Rescue Initiative,” which seeks to leverage commercial resources to meet urgent humanitarian needs.

“This wasn’t a planned mission—it was a moment where our logistics role intersected with our humanitarian duty,” said DIFD AUTO spokesperson Mohammed Evans. “Our captain and crew demonstrated courage and compassion, proving that no matter the industry, every organization can play a part in saving lives.”

The company later confirmed that all automotive cargo aboard the vessel arrived in Alexandria intact, despite a 14-hour delay. “That’s a delay we’re happy to accept,” Evans added.

This rescue has been hailed as a shining example of solidarity at sea, reminding the world that in the vast, unpredictable oceans, the moral compass must always point toward humanity.

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DIFD AUTO is a global automotive trading platform dedicated to connecting resources across continents. Beyond commercial operations, the company actively engages in social responsibility programs, leveraging its network to drive meaningful change in underserved communities worldwide.