SEA-EYE 5 rescues people from unseaworthy rubber boats in the Central Mediterranean – medical evacuation and difficult security situation during the operation
Last Saturday and Sunday, the SEA-EYE 5 was involved in two rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean. A total of 72 people were brought to safety from unseaworthy rubber boats. Several rescued individuals required medical treatment, and a helicopter evacuation was requested for a pregnant woman.
At around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 received a distress call from the civil network Alarm Phone. An unseaworthy rubber boat drifting within the Libyan search and rescue zone had been reported. The SEA-EYE 5 immediately took course towards the area of the boat in distress.
45 People Rescued from Disabled Rubber Boat
Together with the aircraft Seabird 2 operated by the organisation Sea-Watch, the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 located the completely overcrowded and disabled rubber boat in the evening. On board were 45 people, including a pregnant woman, a child, and a baby.
During the rescue operation, a vessel belonging to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard approached the scene. The people on the rubber boat reacted with visible fear, as illegal and violent pushbacks by Libyan militias occur frequently. Nevertheless, the rescue operation was able to continue and was completed successfully. Shortly after 11:00 p.m., all people seeking protection were safely aboard the SEA-EYE 5.
‘Over the weekend, our crew was able to rescue many people from acute distress at sea. But the situation in the Central Mediterranean is unbearable: even after a successful rescue, civil search and rescue organizations must expect threats from Libyan militias. The recent gunfire directed at the Sea-Watch 5, very close to the SEA-EYE 5, has demonstrated this once again. Humanitarian assistance should not have to take place under such conditions, and this can no longer be politically tolerated,’ highlights Anna di Bari, board member of Sea-Eye.
Search for Another Distress Case Under Difficult Conditions
After the completion of the rescue operation, the SEA-EYE 5 initiated the search for a second case close by, which had been reported.
An unidentified Libyan vessel repeatedly approached at high speed and at close range, failing to respond to radio contact attempts and actively obstructing the SEA-EYE 5’s search course.
As neither a boat nor any indications of a possible empty rubber boat could be found and no further information became available, the SEA-EYE 5 ended the search. The Italian authorities assigned Catania as the port of of safety.
Medical Evacuation During the Crossing
The condition of the pregnant woman on board deteriorated to such a critical extent that the crew requested a medical evacuation. She was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Malta so that she could receive treatment as quickly as possible.
‘The survivors on board are severely weakened by the dangerous journey across the sea and the time spent in Libya. Indeed, some of them show signs of violence and torture, while many are suffering from painful fuel burns, dehydration, seasickness and exhaustion. A pregnant woman had to be medically evacuated after being unable to eat or drink properly for an extended period of time, and her condition continued to deteriorate despite treatment ’ explains Vanessa Guidi from German Doctors, who is leading the medical care on board the SEA-EYE 5.
On Tuesday afternoon, all remaining rescued individuals were finally able to disembark safely in Catania.
The SEA-EYE 5 had already participated in another rescue operation on Saturday. Together with the rescue vessel Solidaire, the crew rescued 27 people from an unseaworthy rubber boat.