Italians welcome migrant ‘royal baby’ rescued at sea

While everyone was looking to the birth of the UK’s Princess Charlotte, rescuers rejoiced at the arrival of a girl born in the Mediterranean.

A Nigerian girl entered the world on an Italian rescue vessel the same weekend as the British royal baby took her first breath amid high media excitement. A pregnant Nigerian migrant gave birth on board of a navy ship carrying 654 others rescued from overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean. The newborn was named Francesca Marina (Marina meaning “navy” in Italian) in appreciation of the rescuers.