Enough is Enough – Sea-Eye and Other Rescue Organizations Take a Stand

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The Justice Fleet Opposes EU-Funded Violence at Sea

After years of increasing human rights violations by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard in the Mediterranean, Sea-Eye—together with twelve other sea rescue organizations—is taking a decisive step: we are founding a new alliance. United, we are ending all operational communication with the so-called Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Tripoli, Libya. With this step, we are rejecting the growing pressure from the EU and the member state of Italy to cooperate with the so-called Libyan Coast Guard—an actor that, according to a new report, has committed over 60 brutal acts of violence in the past ten years.

On November 5, 2025, thirteen sea rescue organizations, including Sea-Eye, announced the founding of The Justice Fleet in Brussels—together with the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights and Refugees in Libya. Our goal is to consistently uphold human rights and international maritime law. Therefore, we stand against the coercion by European states to communicate with violent actors at sea. As a legally sound response, the alliance has decided to end all operational communication with Libya’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

Anna di Bari, Executive Board Member of Sea-Eye, emphasizes: “The Justice Fleet shows that we are a force to be reckoned with. While the EU and its member states continue to legitimize human rights violations, we are taking a stand. We are capable of action—especially at sea. We will not communicate with those who shoot at people seeking protection and at NGOs, or who massively undermine safety.”

The Justice Fleet unites legal, political, and public strategies. It defends people seeking protection and sea rescue operations against illegal pushbacks and pullbacks as well as state repression. Deportations to Libya constitute violations of international law at sea—something repeatedly confirmed by numerous European courts, from Italy all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.

The newly launched website provides a comprehensive overview of extreme acts of violence committed by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, as well as the first compilation of court victories achieved by sea rescue organizations since 2023.

Alliance partners from Germany, France, Italy, and Spain include:
CompassCollective, Louise Michel, Mediterranea Saving Humans, Mission Lifeline, Pilotes Volontaires, RESQSHIP, r42 – sail and rescue, Sea-Eye, Sea Punks, Sea-Watch, Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario, SOS Humanity, and TOM.

SEA-EYE 5 rescues 57 people in acute distress at sea – Italy assigns distant port of safety

Kai Echelmeyer

Rescued people must wait days for disembarkation despite critical health conditions – Sea-Eye criticises Italy’s inhumane port policy

On Friday evening, the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 received an emergency call from the hotline for boatpeople in distress Alarm Phone. At around 3 a.m., after a long search in the dark, they were finally able to locate the wooden boat. By this time, water was already pouring into the overcrowded boat.

Early on Saturday morning, the crew of the rescue ship SEA-EYE 5 was able to rescue all 57 people in acute distress at sea and bring them safely on board. Those seeking protection had already been at sea for several days without food or water. Some of them were in urgent need of medical care and the situation on board was made even more difficult by poor weather conditions. Nevertheless, the Italian authorities assigned the distant Crotone as port of safety to the SEA-EYE 5.

“The medical situation after the night-time rescue was very critical. The 57 people had been travelling for days without food or water. Many were dehydrated, suffering from so-called fuel burns – chemical burns caused by a mixture of petrol and salt water – and extreme seasickness. Despite immediate treatment, their condition remained critical. From a medical point of view, the situation was life-threatening,” emphasises Dr Christin Linderkamp of German Doctors, who is in charge of medical care on the SEA-EYE 5.

Due to the critical situation on board, the crew twice requested the Italian authorities to assign a closer port of safety – both requests were rejected, however, and the people on board had to endure another 50 hours of crossing, during which they were unnecessarily exposed to further physical and mental strain. 

Yesterday morning, all 57 rescued persons were finally able to disembark safely in Crotone. However, this is not a happy ending, as Kai Echemeyer, deck manager of the current mission on the SEA-EYE 5 and member of the Sea-Eye board, emphasises:

“After an unnecessarily long and risky journey to a distant port, we were met with open aversion by Frontex and the coastguard upon our arrival. It is unbearable for us to see people who have just been rescued from drowning being met with mistrust and coldness in Europe. Even though we are grateful to have brought them to safety, we are left with the feeling of having to hand them over to a hostile environment. This treatment of people seeking protection is deeply inhumane.”

Sea-Eye once again criticises the practice of European authorities assigning civilian rescue ships to distant ports. These delays endanger the lives of those rescued and place an additional burden on crews and medical personnel.

More Gunfire from the So-Called Libyan Coast Guard: Now with the Support of the German Federal Government?

Empty boat on the seaSoizic Roux

Irini Mandate Extended with Serious Amendments

Yesterday, the German Bundestag talked about the Irini mandate. This mandate is reviewed at regular intervals. This time, however, a devastating change in wording has been introduced, which will now allow the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) to equip and train the so-called Libyan coast guard. In previous versions of the mandate, this had been suspended due to the lack of reliable partners in Libya.

In the current mandate, this fact no longer seems to matter. “The political situation in Libya remains marked by a stalled political transition process, conflicting political factions and increasingly divided institutions in the East and West.” Nevertheless, the new mandate text states: “The operation also supports relevant Libyan institutions responsible for law enforcement and search and rescue at sea, in building their capacities and conducting training in maritime law enforcement (…)”. What exactly these changes mean is not clearly communicated or further explained in the mandate.

The so-called Libyan coast guard regularly violates human rights and uses extreme violence against people fleeing by sea as well as against crews on rescue ships. In recent weeks alone, four rescue ships flying European flags and carrying numerous rescued individuals on board were directly fired upon by the so-called Libyan coast guard. Another dramatic incident occurred this week involving a wooden boat carrying 140 people fleeing across the sea. In that case, Libyan militias deliberately opened fire on the people onboard. One person is now in a coma with a severe gunshot wound and two others were seriously injured.

With the amendment to the Irini mandate, the German Bundeswehr would now be able to supply weapons for such attacks to the so-called Libyan coast guard and provide training to these militias for such maneuvers.While many European countries already support this actively, the German government had previously refrained from doing so. This amendment marks a new milestone in the brutal migration policy of the current German government and makes the work of sea rescuers even more dangerous.

Anna di Bari, board member of Sea-Eye, warns: “When Europe releases funds, it actively contributes to financing human rights violations — now even with a blank check from Germany. People leave their homes because they have no other choice; they endure extreme hardship and deadly risks in the hope of a safe life. And now it seems Germany is choosing to support those who drag back people who are seeking protection and torture, rape and even kill them. The federal government must reveal its plans: Is it truly preparing to train those actors who shoot at people seeking protection? We will not allow more and more European tax money to flow into a border policy that disregards human dignity.”

The previous German government had taken a first step by halting training efforts, in order to ensure that this task would no longer be part of the mission across Europe. Sea-Eye demands full transparency of the current plans and an immediate end to any cooperation with Libyan militias.

What is the Irini Mandate?
The EUNAVFOR MED Irini operation is intended to ensure the enforcement of the arms embargo against Libya. However, the mandate also includes a number of additional tasks, such as enforcing measures against the illegal export of oil from Libya, monitoring and potentially dismantling illegal human trafficking activities at sea and now also supporting relevant institutions in Libya.

Italian Court Confirms Unlawful Detention

WavesAnna Dütsch

When Human Lives Become a Matter of Negotiation: Europe’s Approach to Sea Rescue

This week, a court in Trapani confirmed it once again: the detention of the rescue vessel MEDITERRANEA, operated by the Italian organization Mediterranea Saving Humans, was illegal. In August, the rescue ship entered the port of safety in Trapani with ten rescued people on board – despite the fact that Italian authorities had previously assigned them the port of Genoa. The reason: the people on board were in urgent need of medical attention.

As a consequence, Italian authorities detained the ship based on the so-called Piantedosi Decree – an instrument that has already been overturned in court in at least ten cases. In more than twice as many proceedings, verdicts are still pending.

Anna di Bari, board member of Sea-Eye, explains: “Systematic attempts to put pressure on civil sea rescue are nothing new. But the court decisions make it clear: Italy is abusing the law to deter. Those who save people are criminalised – those who let them die are courted.”

Data from Matteo Villa also show that the former SEA-EYE 4 – now operating as MEDITERRANEA – is particularly frequently affected by criminalization. Its excellent suitability for saving lives has become a disadvantage: by assigning ports that are far away, its missions are deliberately restricted and rescue capacities reduced.

Although MEDITERRANEA has been detained especially often, many other civil rescue ships are also affected. For instance, the Geo Barents, operated by Doctors Without Borders, has already been detained four times – in two of those cases, legal proceedings to clarify the legitimacy are still ongoing. Organizations such as Sea-Watch and Sea-Eye have also repeatedly faced detentions. This demonstrates how systematic these detentions are – and how deliberately rescue efforts in the Mediterranean are being hindered or prevented. The current court ruling once again makes it clear how often these measures are unlawful.

About the Piantedosi Decree

2022: The Beginning of a Restrictive Policy Shift via the Piantedosi Decree:
During a mission in June 2022, the crew of the SEA-EYE 4 rescued around 500 people. During this mission, the first signs of a political shift in Italy became apparent: in December of the same year, for the first time, Italian authorities directly assigned a port during an ongoing rescue operation – a foreshadowing of what the Piantedosi Decree would bring.

The decree obliges rescue ships to head to an assigned – often distant – port immediately after a single rescue, instead of continuing with further rescues. Non-compliance is punished with heavy fines and vessel seizures. A turning point that has severely hampered civilian sea rescue operations.

SEA-EYE 5 rescues 52 people in distress at sea – including babies and pregnant women

Sea-Eye

40-hour transit at 33 degrees Celsius severely affects the health of those rescued

During Saturday night, the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 responded to a distress call from the organisation Alarm Phone at around 3:00 a.m. and was able to rescue 43 people from imminent danger. A few hours later, at around 6:00 a.m., the crew spotted another unseaworthy boat with nine people, who were also safely taken aboard the all-weather lifeboat.

Among the 52 people rescued are three babies and two pregnant women. The rescue ship is currently on its way to Brindisi, assigned port of safety by the Italian authorities.

“The people on board have already been through a great deal,” reports Dr Giovanni Cappa,  on-board doctor on the SEA-EYE 5 for German Doctors. “The extreme heat and the swell are very difficult to cope with, especially for the babies and pregnant women. It would be so easy to alleviate their suffering by allowing us to head for a closer port of safety as quickly as possible.”

The SEA-EYE 5 is designed for emergency rescues, but not for long transit routes. In addition, drinking water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce. The crew of the SEA-EYE 5 has already asked the Italian authorities twice to assign a closer port, but both requests remained unsuccessful.

Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e. V., explains: “These people have already experienced the unimaginable. Now they are being forced to endure extremely stressful conditions and wait unnecessarily long periods for disembarkation – these are disgusting political power games and inhumane and absolutely unacceptable behaviour, carried out at the expense of people who have already had to leave everything behind in the hope of a better future – knowing full well that the attempt could cost them their lives.”

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German Budget Committee cuts funding for civil sea rescue operations – Federal Government is shirking its responsibility

Lonsky/Campact

Despite massive criticism from civil society and politicians, the Bundestag’s Budget Committee decided yesterday to completely cut funding for civil sea rescue. This means that the previous support of two million euros per year, which had been supporting humanitarian rescue operations in the Mediterranean since 2022, will no longer be available. Between October 2023 and February 2025, state-supported missions by Sea-Eye saved an additional 747 people from drowning. The complete elimination of these funds will have a concrete impact on rescue operations and the chances of survival for people in distress at sea.

“This decision is a political declaration of bankruptcy – and a slap in the face for all those who have been involved in civil sea rescue for the past 10 years. People seeking protection will pay for this decision with their lives with fewer rescue missions being planned and financed by organisations such as Sea-Eye. This will only make the passage across the Mediterranean even more dangerous,” says Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye e.V. “We will not give up. While this government is content to count the dead, we will continue to save lives.”

Sea-Eye and Campact had protested against the planned cuts on the morning before the decision and handed over a petition with 93,724 signatures to Britta Haßelmann and Ricarda Lang (Alliance 90/The Greens). But the protest remained unheard.

“It is no coincidence that the federal government is cutting funding at precisely the moment when sea rescue organisations are being massively criminalised and blocked – it is a political decision with deadly consequences,” criticises Gorden Isler.

Despite the funding cuts, Sea-Eye has pledged to continue its rescue operations – with the support of civil society:

 “We would like to thank the tens of thousands of people who stand with us against this policy of isolation. It is their support that keeps us going. And as long as we have the opportunity, we will continue to rescue people – because every life saved counts,”  Gorden Isler emphasises.

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Sea-Eye protest in front of the Bundestag: Decision on funding for civil sea rescue imminent

Sea-Eye and WeAct submit petition with 93.724 signatures – German government remains silent, Green Party pledges support

Ahead of the budget committee’s reconciliation meeting, the civil sea rescue organization Sea-Eye, together with Campact, protests against the impending end of state funding for civil sea rescue. The cut of 2 million euros per year has been met with widespread protest from civil society and politicians: this morning, Sea-Eye handed over a WeAct petition with around 94,000 signatures to Britta Haßelmann and Ricarda Lang (Alliance 90/The Greens) in front of the Reichstag building. Chancellor Merz (CDU), Foreign Minister Wadephul (CDU), and Finance Minister Klingbeil (SPD), the recipients of the petition, have so far failed to respond. 

“With our protest today, we want to make it very clear that the federal government has lost its moral compass,” says Kai Echelmeyer, board member of Sea-Eye e.V. “Instead of protecting human rights and taking responsibility, it is cutting lifesaving measures from the budget. This is not only a fatal political signal, but also a declaration of humanitarian bankruptcy.”

Since the plans for cuts became known at the end of June, there has been massive resistance to the proposed end of funding. Sea-Eye and its supporters mobilized tens of thousands of people within a very short time – among other things, over 7,000 personal emails were sent to members of the Bundestag. The main target was the SPD, which had declared its support for the funding of civil sea rescue at its last party conference. Twelve SPD members of parliament then appealed to Foreign Minister Wadephul in an open letter to reconsider the cut in Budget Section 05. Without federal funding, missions could be canceled – resulting in more deaths in the Mediterranean.

“The amount that has been earmarked [for civil sea rescue] so far is so small that this is not a matter of budget consolidation and austerity measures, which would be bad enough, but rather of intimidating civil society and enforcing a fundamentally anti-immigration policy […]. We will not go along with this course,” Ricarda Lang (Alliance 90/The Greens) makes clear.

Britta Haßelmann (Alliance 90/The Greens) emphasizes: “Civil sea rescue must be financed. It is a really small contribution in this large federal budget. […] That is why we are entering the budget planning process with a motion initiative from Alliance 90/The Greens to continue financing civil sea rescue. It should actually be the responsibility and duty of the state to rescue people from distress at sea.” 

For the first time, the federal government supported the humanitarian work of civil sea rescue organizations with 2 million euros annually starting in 2022. This financial support has enabled organizations such as Sea-Eye to carry out additional missions and, literally, save lives. The cancellation of these funds will have a direct impact on rescue operations and the chances of survival for people in distress at sea. The budget committee’s decision is expected during the reconciliation meeting.

SEA-EYE 5’s largest rescue operation to date: 144 people taken aboard

Ten years after Alan Kurdi’s death, the lack of safe passage for refugees still forces people to flee across the Mediterranean

On Sunday morning at around 9 a.m., the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 reached a distress case reported by the organisation Alarm Phone. Within a few hours, the crew was able to rescue 144 people who had been at sea for days on an unseaworthy wooden boat. 

Dr Giovanni Cappa, on-board doctor on the SEA-EYE 5 for German Doctors e.V. , reports:

“Several of the people on board were dehydrated and malnourished. Among those who were rescued was a pregnant woman. Several people were in critical condition and required immediate medical attention. This was a challenge for the entire crew, who had to provide care while also looking after such a large number of people in distress.”

Two people in critical condition required medical evacuation. The two medical emergencies were taken over by an Italian coast guard vessel south of Lampedusa, along with 51 other people.

After the rescue operation, the Italian authorities instructed the SEA-EYE 5 to take the remaining approximately 100 people to the port of Taranto, some 40 hours away. As the all-weather lifeboat is not designed to transfer such a large number of people over a long distance, the crew repeatedly asked the Italian authorities to allow them to disembark the people at a closer port – in vain.

“Despite our ongoing support, the people on board are forced to endure extreme temperatures on deck, with very limited space, and for a prolonged period of time due to the distant port of disembarkation assigned to us. Under these conditions, their health can only worsen”, Dr Giovanni Cappa warns.

Late on Monday afternoon, the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre sent a navy ship to escort the SEA-EYE 5 to Taranto.

“Tomorrow marks the tenth anniversary of the deaths of Alan Kurdi, his brother Ghalib and his mother Rehanna. It is shameful that ten years later, we still have not created safe passage for refugees, but that even in 2025, people are still forced to undertake life-threatening escapes across the central Mediterranean. European governments have not only failed to establish a state run sea rescue programme, but are also actively hindering the work of civil aid organisations. The fact that they are thinking up particularly creative ways of harassing people who have been rescued, exposing them to further stress and health-threatening hardships after everything they have been through, is simply perfidious,” says Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye e.V.

“International humanitarian law allows no exceptions”

The attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and the escalating, immeasurable human suffering caused by Israel’s response constitute a fundamental violation of international humanitarian law. It is the backbone of the protection of civilians in armed conflicts – it applies always, everywhere and to everyone. It is non-negotiable, non-relativisable, and indivisible. Sea-Eye e.V. therefore appeals to all parties to respect international humanitarian law without exception.

Hamas must treat all hostages still in its custody humanely and release them unconditionally. The collective punishment of the population of Gaza through forced displacement, starvation or blockade by the Israeli government must end immediately. The deliberate violation of rules protecting humanitarian principles is an attack on the fundamental principles of humanity – and cannot be justified under any circumstances.

Sea-Eye therefore fully endorses the declaration of the 111 humanitarian organisations and supports the resolution of Médecins Sans Frontières, which calls for an immediate ceasefire and unhindered access for aid supplies by land under UN coordination.

The German Parliament’s Budget Committee is cutting financial support for civil sea rescue operations from 2025

Rettungswesten im WasserLeonard Müller

A quiet decision during the parliamentary summer recess that dangerously reduces the chances of survival for people fleeing.

Context & background

  • The German federal government, made up of the CDU/CSU and SPD, plans to completely withdraw the annual funding of around two million euros to organisations such as Sea-Eye, SOS Humanity, Sant’Egidio and others from 2026. 
  • Now, the Budget Committee has decided that financial support for civil sea rescue operations should already be withdrawn this year. According to the Foreign Office, the amount was still around 900,000 euros in the first quarter of 2025, which means that organisations will have to fill a gap of around 1.1 million euros in 2025.
  • Sea-Eye warned that the loss of government support could lead to missions being cancelled and rescue ships possibly having to remain in port.
  • At the SPD federal party conference in June, the Social Democrats (SPD) voted by a large majority in favour of continuing civil sea rescue operations. However, the draft budget for 2026 does not contain any funds – the SPD parliamentary group remains inactive.
  • Foreign Secretary Johann Wadephul (CDU) had already declared at the end of June that he rejected funding for civil society sea rescuers. Civil sea rescue was an ‘inappropriate method,’ he said. 
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz also expressed his opposition on Sandra Maischberger’s talk show. Civil sea rescue was ‘not a task for the private sector,’ he said.

“The dispute over civil sea rescue is a core conflict in democratic politics. After all, who decides in a democracy whether human rights are enforced or abandoned – party conferences or budget committees? It is shocking how the federal government is trying to quietly and secretly shirk its responsibility during the parliamentary summer recess. Sea rescue is a cornerstone of civilisation in our treatment of people fleeing their homes. We continue to insist on continued funding,” says Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye e.V.

Between October 2023 and February 2025, state-supported Sea-Eye missions saved an additional 747 people from drowning. 

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