175,000 Lives Saved – A Decade of Civil Search and Rescue in the Central Mediterranean 

On the tenth anniversary of civil search and rescue efforts in the central Mediterranean, and in the lead-up to World Refugee Day, four major German NGOs—United4Rescue, Sea-Watch, Sea-Eye, and SOS Humanity—took stock of a decade of lifesaving operations and called for an end to the political obstruction of rescue missions. 

Since 2015, non-governmental rescue ships have provided humanitarian emergency assistance in the central Mediterranean. By April 2025, the “civil fleet”, consisting of 15 rescue vessels, 7 sailing ships, and 4 reconnaissance airplanes, had been involved in rescuing 175,595 people—despite mounting political and bureaucratic barriers. European governments and the EU prioritize deterrence and border control over protection and compliance with international law. For instance, Italy’s “Piantedosi Decree”, introduced in January 2023, has led to the administrative detention of rescue vessels on 28 occasions, resulting in 680 days of blocked operations. 

“Ten years of civil sea rescue means ten years of ignorance and politicians turning a blind eye. When state actors fail in their duty, we step in as a civil fleet. We look. We go there. Ten years of civil sea rescue serve as an urgent reminder to break the silence surrounding drowning. No matter how strong the political opposition to protecting people on the run becomes: Over the past ten years, we have demonstrated the achievements possible through strong civil society alliances. We are a force to be reckoned with,” emphasises Anna di Bari, board member at Sea-Eye.

Of the 21 NGOs presently involved in lifesaving activities in the Central Mediterranean, 10 come from Germany. Here, public support for non-governmental search and rescue remains strong. Tens of thousands of people continue to donate, volunteer, and stand in solidarity. United4Rescue, a German alliance of nearly 1,000 organizations, exemplifies the broad backing from civil society. Equally vital are grassroots initiatives like Refugees in Libya, which advocates for refugee rights and document abuses, and Alarm Phone, which has provided a distress hotline for people in danger at sea for over a decade. These groups reflect a simple truth: civil society steps in when states fail—though it cannot substitute for structural, political solutions. 

Shortly ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June, the organizations presented Mare Solidale, a concrete proposal for a European rescue program, as a roadmap for a human rights-based approach. The concept outlines legal principles, mechanisms for coordinated EU-led search and rescue, and a realistic financial framework. Their message is unequivocal: the EU could end the ongoing deaths at sea if the political will existed. 

United4Rescue, Sea-Watch, Sea-Eye and SOS Humanity together call on the German government, the EU, and its member states to firmly recognize search and rescue at Europe’s Mediterranean borders as both a legal and a humanitarian obligation. They demand a fully funded, European state-led rescue program and an end to cooperation with authoritarian regimes such as Tunisia and Libya on border enforcement. Given systematic violence, the absence of asylum protection, and ongoing political repression, Tunisia must not be classified as a safe country of origin or a safe third country.