Since the SEA-EYE 4 arrived in the Maltese search and rescue zone on Thursday, numerous reports of boats in distress reached the rescue ship. While the crew carried out several rescue missions, Malta did not perform its duty of sea rescue.
On Saturday afternoon the rescue ship SEA-EYE 4 set out on its fourth rescue mission. The departure was largely made possible by the sea rescue alliance United4Rescue.
After so many hard hours of waiting, good news finally reached us from Rome. But some of the guests are already spending their fifth night on board.
The more than 800 people have been waiting for a safe port for 2 days. Now a relief supplies by the RISE ABOVE became necessary. Many people already had to be medically treated on board.
Thursday night saw another dramatic rescue of more than 400 people from a heavily overcrowded wooden boat. There are now more than 800 people on the SEA-EYE 4, which has since set course for Lampedusa.
The crews of SEA-EYE 4 and RISE ABOVE have been working together tirelessly since the early morning hours. Together, they were able to save 325 lives in 5 rescue operations. 152 children were among the survivors.
In her commentary, Sophie Weidenhiller, spokeswoman of Sea-Eye e. V., explains the error in the isolation policy and its deadly consequences.
While the formation of a new German federal government is being negotiated in Berlin, civil sea rescue organizations in the Mediterranean continue to fight for every single human life. Six organizations are calling for the future German federal government to drastically change their migration policy.
Strong winds are coming up in the operational area and on board the SEA-EYE 4 there are two heavily pregnant women and four babies. The crew had rescued them from a small wooden boat on Wednesday together with 23 other people. 18 of the rescued people are minors. Now these people need a port of safety quickly.
After weeks of political blockade, we were able to free our rescue ship and send the SEA-EYE 4 into its second rescue mission in the Mediterranean. The mission is dedicated to our deceased Sea-Eye chairman Prof. Dr. med. Tilman Mischkowsky.