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

Pressekonferenz 18. JuniWanda Proft / SOS Humanity

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. 

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After Rescuing 65 People: SEA-EYE 5 Unlawfully Detained in Sicily

Rettungskreuzer SEA-EYE 5

The civil rescue ship SEA-EYE 5, operated by the Germany-based search and rescue organization Sea-Eye, was detained by Italian authorities in the port of Pozzallo on Monday, June 16, 2025.

The detention followed a rescue operation on Saturday, June 14, during which the crew of SEA-EYE 5 saved a total of 65 people from an overcrowded rubber boat in acute distress in the Central Mediterranean — among them many women and several seriously injured individuals. 

“This detention is a politically motivated act and a serious attack on civil sea rescue. The underlying strategy: small rescue vessels are expected to fulfill demands that are not compatible with safety standards — and those who refuse to risk human lives are punished,” says Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e.V.

Sea-Eye Faces Three Accusations:

Disregard of MRCC Rome Instructions:
The captain allegedly failed to fully communicate information and refused the selective transfer of individuals to the Coast Guard. The captain argued that all people on board were in need of protection.

Delayed Request for Disembarkation:
SEA-EYE 5 is accused of not “officially and promptly” requesting a port of disembarkation. In reality, Sea-Eye had been in active contact with several rescue coordination centers, including those in Bremen and Rome, from the outset of the operation. All communication was documented in writing.

Delayed Departure to Taranto:
SEA-EYE 5 allegedly did not proceed “without delay” to Taranto after it was assigned and instead waited over six hours off the coast of Pozzallo. However, Pozzallo had been officially designated as the Port of Safety. The delay was due to the MRCC in Rome canceling the planned disembarkation, argues Sea-Eye. From Sea-Eye’s perspective, the transshipment demands and further travel instructions were incompatible with the safety situation on board and the ship’s technical limitations.

Sea-Eye Strongly Rejects the Accusations

“These accusations are fabricated to criminalize rescue operations. Our crew has always acted in the best interests of those rescued and in accordance with international maritime law. The detention once again shows that Italian authorities are systematically trying to push civil rescue ships out of the Mediterranean,” explains Isler. 

Sea-Eye has announced it will take legal action against the detention. The organization views this measure as a continuation of Italy’s repressive port policy, which previously drew international criticism in the case of the civil rescue vessel NADIR.

Background: Dispute Over Port of Disembarkation

After the rescue, the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Rome initially assigned the port of Taranto — 390 nautical miles away — as a Port of Safety, despite this distance being incompatible with the ship’s technical capabilities and insufficient water supplies for such a long journey with so many people on board. Only after intense pressure, strong appeals referencing international maritime law, and persistent argumentation did the MRCC in Rome relent overnight and assign the closer port of Pozzallo in Sicily.

On Sunday at approximately 2:00 PM, the SEA-EYE 5 finally reached Pozzallo. Upon arrival, the crew was informed that instead of a full disembarkation, only a so-called transshipment would be permitted. The crew was instructed to identify vulnerable individuals and transfer them to an Italian Coast Guard patrol vessel. The remaining rescued individuals were expected to stay on board and be transported to Taranto in Apulia.

During the hours-long negotiations, the crew had to request another medical evacuation, as the condition of a pregnant woman continued to deteriorate. A medical evacuation had already been approved the previous day for three severely injured individuals, who were transferred to the Italian Coast Guard. At 8:30 PM, the crew received official permission to enter the port and disembark the rescued individuals. At the same time, the medical evacuation request was approved, allowing the pregnant woman to be brought ashore with a family member and receive medical care before the ship docked.

After the remaining 60 people were safely disembarked, Italian authorities initially placed SEA-EYE 5 under quarantine. On Monday evening, at around 6:30 PM, the vessel was officially detained — the first such detention for the ship since Sea-Eye began operating it in December 2024.

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Italy delays disembarkation of 50 rescued individuals from all-weather lifeboat SEA-EYE 5 despite precarious humanitarian situation

Rescue SEA-EYE 5

Assigned port in Vibo Valentia is located over 295 nautical miles from the rescue site

On the afternoon of June 6, 2025, the organization Alarm Phone informed the relevant authorities and the all-weather lifeboat SEA-EYE 5 of a distress case in the Libyan Search and Rescue Zone. Around 8:00 p.m., the SEA-EYE 5 crew reached the rubber boat in distress and evacuated its 50 occupants. Despite the ship’s limited onboard capacity, Italian authorities subsequently assigned the port of Vibo Valentia for disembarkation, which is located 295 nautical miles from the site of the rescue. This disproportionately long transit time poses an acute risk to the health and safety of all people on board. The rescued individuals are exposed to the open elements in extremely confined space. The vessel can provide no sleeping accommodations, limited sanitation infrastructure, and only basic supplies of food and water.

“At the time of rescue, most individuals were already soaked, dehydrated, seasick, and extremely exhausted. In addition, they suffered from moderate to severe sunburns, scabies, as well as older wounds and back injuries. Their general condition worsened the longer we remained at sea, and – as we anticipated – became significantly more difficult on the second night. Waves were washing over the deck, and the rescued people sought shelter under their blankets. Soaking wet and freezing, they waited for sunrise to bring some warmth,” explained Merle Brinkhus, onboard doctor on the SEA-EYE 5 for German Doctors e.V.

Due to the deteriorating conditions onboard, SEA-EYE 5 officially requested permission from the responsible Italian authorities a total of four times to disembark the rescued individuals at a closer port. All requests were denied. No explanation was given regarding why the provided reasoning of health- and safety concerns was not considered sufficient. In the last three missions carried out by SEA-EYE 5, the Italian authorities had acknowledged the humanitarian situation and granted requests for closer ports accordingly.

Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye e.V., emphasized: “Why they have actively decided against that this time is inexplicable to us. SEA-EYE 5 is neither equipped nor suited for such long transit distances. By refusing to assign us a closer port, the Italian authorities are knowingly accepting serious risks to both the rescued people and our crew. There are plenty of safe ports in southern Italy capable of disembarking people fleeing danger.”

The SEA-EYE 5 is operated by Sea-Eye e.V., a non-profit organization that has been running rescue ships in the Mediterranean since 2015 and has rescued over 18,000 people from distress at sea.