Alessio Paduano / AFP / Getty Images

"As I took this picture, I could hear how his breath was interrupted by the water flowing into his mouth. I still have the sound of that breath in my head," Paduano told the BBC. "It was a strong emotional moment but fortunately after a while our rescue raft approached him, now almost drowned, and the crew of Sea-Watch 3, with no small effort, was able to pull him out of the sea."