Italian coast guard officers rescued and resuscitated a kitten that was about to drown on Friday (August 5) after falling in the water in the port of Marsala, in Western Sicily.
A video, handed out by the coast guard, shows officers performing CPR on unconscious kitten, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and cardiac massage.
After less than a minute of first aid, the kitten is heard meowing. A coast guard officer shouts: ‘She breathes, she breathes! Call a vet,” referring to the male animal.
The coast guard officers were in the harbour after a mission when a group of children attracted their attention and pointed them to an apparently lifeless kitten floating in the port’s waters.
An officer dived in and retrieved the kitten bringing him on board their vessel where he was successfully resuscitated.
The kitten later received medical attention and is in good health, a coast guard statement said.
Port authorities were so touched they decided to adopt the kitten, naming him “Charlie”.
In recent years the Italian coast guard has been at the forefront in rescue operations of migrants attempting the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean.
More than 400,000 migrants have arrived in by boat in Italy since the beginning of 2014, most of whom were rescued at sea. – Reuters
