Neapolitan Commander Franco Ruggiero Saves 50 Migrants in Lampedusa

An unusual dawn illuminated the crystalline waters of Lampedusa. On September 25th, as the sun rose over the horizon, a group of tourists aboard the Maria Sole, a tourist vessel linked to the Sole Hotel, had an experience that left a profound mark on them.

The peaceful cruise turned into a dramatic rescue when, on the horizon, a small iron vessel appeared, overloaded with people, sending out desperate distress signals.

Without hesitation, Captain Franco Ruggiero, 69 years old Napoli, and his crew alerted the Coast Guard and headed towards the vessel in distress.

"We couldn't turn away," says Mina, one of the tourists on board. "We saw the fear and desperation in those people's eyes. It was as if they were begging us for help."

The Coast Guard, engaged in other rescue operations, arrived quickly, but in the meantime, water began to invade the precarious vessel. The migrants, mostly from African and Middle Eastern countries, were terrified.

Among them, a little girl, held tightly in her mother's arms, seemed to embody the fragility and hope of all.

"It was a heartbreaking scene," says Elena Begliomini, 67, from Bologna. "I saw in their eyes the same fear I would have felt in that situation. I touched that little girl's cheek to give her some comfort, and I felt a lump in my throat."

One by one, the migrants were transferred to the Maria Sole, a vessel that could accommodate a maximum of nine people. But humanity prevailed over rules, and everyone found a place aboard.

"We did what anyone would have done in our place," says Captain Ruggiero. "We were all united by a single feeling: the desire to help others."

After the rescue, the Maria Sole reached the port of Cala Pisana, where the migrants were taken into care by the authorities. The tourists, deeply moved by their experience, continued their vacation with a new perspective on reality.

"This adventure changed my life," confides Maria Rita, another tourist. "I learned that solidarity knows no bounds, and that each of us can make a difference."