SEA-EYE 5 rescues 76 people in a challenging operation over the Easter weekend

Rescue SEA-EYE 5

The all-weather lifeboat brought the rescued people safely ashore in Lampedusa on Monday afternoon.

At around 9 p.m. on Easter Sunday, the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 reached a distress case at sea that had been reported by the organisation Alarm Phone. It took the crew more than three hours to rescue the 76 people from the double-decker wooden boat due to the high swell. Some of those rescued said they drank seawater because they were thirsty. Three people had to be medically monitored for the rest of the route.

Dr. Gustav Buescher, on-board doctor of German Doctors, emphasises: “During the night, we rescued 76 people in the Mediterranean Sea with the SEA-EYE 5. Initial medical assessment revealed clinical signs of dehydration, hypothermia, seasickness and exhaustion in many of them. A few cases required intensive medical care in the SEA-EYE 5 sick bay, with a focus on monitoring vital signs, intravenous fluid replacement and warming. Fortunately, we were able to achieve adequate stabilisation in all cases. I am pleased that the rapid medical care provided to the patients on SEA-EYE 5 prevented the development of critical health conditions.”

The Italian authorities initially assigned the SEA-EYE 5 to Reggio Calabria. However, after the head of mission drew attention to the severe strain on the rescued people on board due to the deteriorating weather conditions, the crew was finally allowed to proceed to Lampedusa. The vessel reached the Italian island at around 2.30 p.m. on Monday and brought the people safely ashore. One person was taken directly to hospital and two others were treated in a medical centre.

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Sea-Eye ships rescue 178 people over the weekend – including a three-day-old baby

Rescue Ships SEA-EYE 4 and SEA-EYE 5

In a joint operation with Sea-Watch, SEA-EYE 4 rescued 122 people in 4 operations. SEA-EYE 5 rescued 56 people in extreme weather conditions.

Between Friday evening 7 March and Sunday morning 9 March, the crew of the SEA-EYE 4 responded to a total of four distress calls. During the rescue operations, the crew, consisting of members of Sea-Watch and Sea-Eye, took 122 people in distress on board. The vessel is now on its way to Vibo Valencia after the Italian authorities designated the port, which is some 460 kilometres away. The rescue was a joint operation between the two organisations – the same crew had rescued 41 people and brought them to shore in Naples on 22 February.

In addition, on the night of Sunday to Monday, the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 rescued 56 people from a rubber boat, including a three-day-old baby. Due to the difficult weather conditions, the operation took more than two hours and the crew was able to bring everyone safely on board the SEA-EYE 5 at around 3 a.m. A medical evacuation was organised for the baby and its family in or near Lampedusa to the Italian coastguard.

“At 3 a.m. this morning we embarked 56 people onboard the SEA-EYE 5. They had been on a rubber boat for at least 12 hours. They were wet, seasick and dehydrated. Many of them were weak and exhausted. Amongst them was a three day old baby who required treatment for an infection and evacuation,” explains Patricia Darlington, a doctor from German Doctors e. V. on board the SEA-EYE 5.

The SEA-EYE 5 rescue operation was funded by, among others, the UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe.

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Hawa survives: A woman’s fight against violence and oppression

SEA-EYE 4 RescueSea-Eye

TRIGGER WARNING: This text deals with sexual and sexualised violence and experiences of discrimination.

Nearly four years ago, I embarked on one of the most memorable experiences of my journalism career: I sailed off aboard the SEA-EYE 4 to join its very first rescue mission in the Mediterranean. 

It was a large, busy and dramatic operation, during which Sea-Eye rescued 408 souls, including 150 children. Most of them were distressed and deprived of social contact after spending months in detention centres in Libya. 

We also rescued five pregnant women, three of whom fell pregnant as a result of rape in Libya. As a journalist documenting human rights violations, I paid particular attention to their stories, wondering how the stress of the mothers might impact the babies who would be born in a continent that rejected them and left them to drown.

When we disembarked in Sicily in June 2021, it was a hot summer day and we were euphoric after a rescue operation that everyone survived in good health. Only a month later, I decided I would travel to France, where some of the French-speaking rescued persons decided to seek shelter. I wanted to document how their stories would unfold in Europe.

I first met Hawa (not her real name), an outspoken 21-year old woman from Mali who was 3 months pregnant when we rescued her. She travelled alone, hoping she could find a job in Europe, allowing her to support her mother, who was suffering from a grave illness and living in poverty.

Hawa’s pregnancy was a result of brutal rape in a Libyan detention centre, she told me. “When the men in the detention centre rape you, there’s usually three of them,” she told us on the ship. “One is raping you while the second points a gun at you. And the third one films the scene.”

We decided we would meet in Paris, where she told me she lived after she left a refugee centre in Sicily where she and the other refugees had disembarked at first. But when I called her the day of the meeting, she refused to give me her new address. Surprised, I asked her why. After a long phone conversation, her voice finally broke and she told me the truth – after she had left Italy, she ended up homeless in the streets of Paris. “I had nowhere to go and I called my mother in the Parisian metro, crying,” she told me. “Another man from Mali overheard me speaking in Bambara, and offered to house me for the night,” she said.

When we finally met, I understood she was not only looking for accommodation, but also for urgent medical help. She had five euros in her pocket, and complained about gynaecological problems accompanied by excruciating pain and bleeding. She was confused and lightheaded, probably as a result of the pain. She hadn’t eaten in days.

I immediately took her to a charity providing medical aid to refugees. After the medical exam, it became clear she had had a miscarriage shortly after she had been rescued by the SEA-EYE 4; in addition to that, she was likely suffering from an infection that exacerbated her female genital mutilation, probably linked to the multiple brutal rapes she had been subjected to in Mali (she gave the permission to write about the topic of female genital mutilation in order to raise awareness of this awful practice, still common in many African countries). And, as it turned out, she also had diabetes.

The doctor at the charity told me to take her to the emergency room immediately because of the severely low blood sugar levels. She wrote us a referral letter and urged me to run to the nearest hospital that would accept persons with no recourse to public funds. When we arrived at the hospital, I had to fight with the staff to make sure they treated her. “If she has no ID, there is nothing we can do for her,” the person at the reception barked at me. Hawa was terrified and could not say a word, even though she was fluent in French. “I was a volunteer on the ship that rescued her as she was drowning in the middle of the Mediterranean and she is sick,” I had to shout. That’s what it took to reach the moment when the doctors’ empathy finally switched on and they decided to take her in.

I waited with Hawa in the emergency room for hours. The doctors treated her for diabetes, but did not take any actions to treat her miscarriage, her bleeding or her female genital mutilation, even though I told them she was likely in danger. (To this day, I remain shocked: as a white European woman, I cannot imagine the same would happen to me. If I came to the emergency room bleeding after a miscarriage, I would never be ignored or told it is not a matter of urgency. But Hawa was treated for her blood sugar levels only.)

When she stepped out of the exam room, she seemed like a different person: she was no longer dizzy, shy and confused. The diabetes medication kicked in. The doctor asked her when the last time she had access to insulin was – she recalled it was back in Mali, some 5 or 6 months ago. It was hard to imagine how much physical pain she had to undergo. I accompanied her to the house of the man who helped her in the Parisian metro. She told me she would stay with him for the time being. She did not want me to worry about her.

A month after our encounter at the emergency service, I traveled to France again, to meet with her, this time in Lyon. She had been transferred to a public accommodation centre for asylum seekers while she was waiting for her asylum application to be processed. That day, we had pizza together and then we talked about her life in France. I noticed she had bought some fake eyelashes.

I never found out if she was granted asylum in France. Even though she sporadically kept in touch with me, that day in Lyon was the last time I saw her, before she deleted her social media accounts and changed her phone number. 

Hawa’s story is one of surviving. We thank her deeply for sharing her story with us.

About Sara Cincurova

Sara Cincurova is a freelance human rights journalist. She was born in Slovakia and currently lives in Ukraine. Her main areas of expertise are migration, conflict, human rights, foreign policy, humanitarian issues and women’s rights. Sara’s articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC News and Der Spiegel, among others. In 2021, she was a journalist on board the rescue ship SEA-EYE 4 in the Mediterranean. During the mission, the crew saved 408 people from drowning.

Our all-weather lifeboat SEA-EYE 5 is in action on the world’s deadliest escape route. Support its missions now and become a ship sponsor.

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Sea-Eye and Sea-Watch launch joint rescue operation

SEA-EYE 4 Operation Sea-Watch x Sea-EyeMaria Giulia Trombini (Sea-Watch)

The sea rescue organisations Sea-Eye and Sea-Watch have launched a joint rescue operation in the central Mediterranean. With the rescue ship SEA-EYE 4, a crew of 28 members of both organisations is on its way to one of the deadliest borders in the world. One week before the German parliamentary elections, the two German organisations call on all parties to create safe and legal passages.

The cooperation between Sea-Eye and Sea-Watch is a response to the ongoing deaths in the Mediterranean. Despite political resistance in Germany, the organisations remain true to their mission: to save lives and to draw attention to the systematic omission of state rescue operations. The joint mission is not only a reaction to the acute dying, but also a sign of solidarity. European civil society cannot stand by and watch people drown. 

“The collaboration between Sea-Eye and Sea-Watch is a strong signal of cohesion and solidarity. In times of exclusion, hatred and agitation, we are fighting together for every human life on one of the deadliest escape routes in the world. We are showing that humanitarian aid knows no borders,” explains Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye.

Sea-Watch also emphasises  that the cooperation is a necessary step: “Every cooperation strengthens our commitment to save people from drowning. One week before the German parliamentary elections, we demand safe and legal passages for all. Politicians who only shout for fences do not change anything about the dying in the Mediterranean,” says Giulia Messmer, spokesperson for Sea-Watch.

The SEA-EYE 4 is a ship specially converted for rescue operations that has already saved over 3,800 people from drowning. The current operation will bring those seeking protection safely to land and provide initial medical care. The crew consists of experienced sea rescuers, doctors and technical specialists.

The operation is supported by the broad alliance United4Rescue and the initiative LeaveNoOneBehind. 

Despite international obligations to rescue people at sea, civil sea rescue is increasingly being obstructed by European states. Over 2,300 people have drowned in the Mediterranean in 2024 alone. The organisations call on the European Union and its member states to end their blockade and create legal and safe passages.

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60 days of continuous work after the Valencia floods

Nothilfe Valencia

Mud in underground car parks, piles of rubbish on football pitches, and cars stacked up: many weeks after the flood disaster in Spain, the aftermath remains devastating. In the heart of it all: around 400 volunteers from Sea-Eye and our Spanish partner organization L’Aurora, who have been working tirelessly in the Valencia region since the flooding in October 2024. Here’s a summary of 60 days of continuous effort in the region last year…

Every day, our crew and volunteers prepared and distributed food to those affected: A total of 14,000 meals, 3,000 sandwiches, 1,000 kg of fresh fruit and vegetables, 7,000 loaves of bread, and, time and again, special treats reached the people.

Trucks filled with donations were collected, sorted, and delivered directly to the impacted neighborhoods.

Donated bicycles were repaired to restore mobility for the residents.

Refugees were also not forgotten: In nearby Sagunt, in particular, we assisted those who often fall through the cracks of state support.

Nothilfe Valencia

On New Year’s Eve, the volunteers also brought grapes along with the usual food deliveries to Valencia, helping to uphold a cherished Spanish tradition. In Spain, it is customary to eat one grape with each chime of the midnight bell, with every bite symbolizing a wish for the New Year. We hope many of these wishes come true for the people of this hard-hit region, who have shown us so much solidarity in the past at the port of Burriana.

Our 12 New Year’s wishes are clear: lots of support for the work on the ground, which we will continue alongside L’Aurora even after these first 60 days of continuous effort. You can contribute to this cause with a donation.

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Joint Statement for the State Crime of Pylos

WavesAnna Dütsch

One and a half year has passed since the state crime near Pylos was committed, which led to the death of more than 600 people migrating to Europe. Despite the irrefutable evidence and testimonies of shipwreck survivors, those responsible for this crime have not yet been brought before the judicial authorities. In fact, the perpetrators continue to carry out their duties with impunity, not only posing a constant threat to people on the move but also exemplifying the immunity they receive.

The Pylos state crime was not an isolated incident, nor was it the last. The shipwreck was the result of the intensifying systemic violence against people crossing into Greece and the EU. Their increasing dehumanisation has led to a horrifying situation. The EU’s policies of securitisation and militarisation of its borders and territories confront people on the move with even greater violence and constant violations of their rights. Pushback operations, arbitrary and prolonged imprisonment in detention centres in European border countries, and cooperation with authoritarian regimes in neighbouring countries have led to an unprecedented number of dead and missing persons.

A year and a half ago, on 14 June 2023, while the fishing trawler Adriana, with 750 people on board was reportedly in danger, the Greek authorities deliberately delayed any rescue operation: at first the authorities ignored distress calls, only monitoring the trawler; subsequently,  authorities attempted to tow the Adriana away from the Greek Search and Rescue zone, causing its capsizing. In this cynical and ultimately deadly attempt, authorities tried to remove any possible eyewitnesses, not only by refusing the assistance offered by EU’s agency Frontex but also by turning away commercial vessels alongside. After the sinking of the Adriana, survivors reported unjustified delays in their rescue, with the result that only 104 people were saved. Instead of supporting them, the Greek authorities went as far as to charge the survivors with ‘illegal entry’ into the country. In an effort to deflect public outcry and international condemnation, authorities disavowed responsibility for the killing of more than 600 people, and charged 9 of the survivors, blaming them as “smugglers” and for causing the shipwreck. The 9 defendants-survivors of the shipwreck were eventually acquitted by the Greek courts in May 2024 but were denied their right to compensation for nearly a year’s time unjustly spent in prison.

Following the refusal of the Hellenic Coast Guard to initiate an internal disciplinary investigation into the acts of its line of command and officers, the Greek Ombudsman did so at its own motion for administrative acts and omissions. Following criminal complaints by the survivors, investigations into the causes of the state crime have been conducted for over a year by the preliminary investigation authorities of the Piraeus Naval Court in relation to criminal responsibilities. The preliminary investigation was only completed at the end of November, and it is now at the discretion of the Head of the Naval Court Prosecutor’s Office whether to file charges against those responsible.

Extensive and in-depth investigations by independent and international investigative media outlets have not only highlighted the criminal actions of the competent Greek authorities in managing the Adriana incident, but also the concerted effort to cover up the events and protect those responsible.

In addition, the treatment of most of the shipwreck survivors violates the Greek state’s responsibility under international law, including the responsibility to provide shipwreck survivors with psychosocial support. Not only were most of the survivors denied international protection; they are now also threatened with deportation. At the same time, many of the victims’ families are still waiting for the bodies of their loved ones, which have not yet been repatriated.

Demanding justice for the state crime of Pylos is the least we owe to the memory of the victims of the shipwreck and their loved ones, as well as to those who survived the wreckage and have suffered unspeakable trauma. But it is also a crucial point in the struggle for the protection of migrant populations and their rights. At a time when European governments promote discrimination, racism, and exploitation, we join our voices in demanding a world of justice and solidarity.

The state crime of Pylos will neither be forgotten nor forgiven.

The signatory organisations demand:

  • The thorough investigation of the causes of the ‘Pylos shipwreck’ and the prosecution of those truly responsible.
  • The provision of needed psychosocial support and the granting of international protection to all survivors.
  • An immediate end to the criminalisation of migration and the use of “facilitation” as a pretext for the systematic incarceration of people on the move. 
  • An immediate end to increasingly lethal border violence.

Read the statement with all signatory organisations

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Sea-Eye wins third case against Italy this year

SEA-EYE 4

The Court of Vibo Valentia confirms obligation to rescue at sea – and reaffirms that following the instructions of the so-called Libyan Coastguard is not compatible with international law.

The Regensburg-based sea rescue organisation Sea-Eye e.V. has achieved a major legal success: The Court of Vibo Valentia has ruled that the crew of the SEA-EYE 4 fully complied with their duty to rescue at sea during an operation in the Mediterranean last year. The case concerned a 20-day detention order imposed on the vessel in October 2023.

The judge made it clear that the rescue operation carried out by Sea-Eye had never posed a threat to the safety of the people involved. She also stressed that following the instructions of the so-called Libyan Coastguard would not be compatible with international law.

“Once again, the Italian courts have ruled against Italian policy and administrative practice. This ruling is an overall success because the judge did not focus on procedural issues, but emphasised the duty to rescue at sea and made it clear that no one should drown in the Mediterranean,” said Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye.

The SEA-EYE 4 was detained by the Italian authorities on the 30th of October 2023 after the crew refused to obey the orders of the so-called Libyan Coastguard. Around 50 people were rescued during the operation on the 27th of October 2023. The crew members of SEA-EYE 4 documented the ruthless and brutal methods of the so-called Libyan Coastguard and were ordered to leave the area under threat of violence. During several dangerous manoeuvres by the Libyan-flagged ships, four of the people seeking protection on the inflatable boat could only be recovered dead.

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35th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Rescue SEA-EYE 4

Sea-Eye calls for immediate actions in the Mediterranean – More than 1,500 children have drowned in the Mediterranean since 2018.

20th November 2024 marks the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. But the agreement, which aims to ensure the protection and rights of children worldwide, stands in stark contrast to the reality at Europe’s borders: according to UNICEF, more than 1,500 children have drowned on the world’s deadliest escape route since 2018 – in 2023 alone, around 300 children lost their lives in the Mediterranean in search of protection.

“It is unacceptable that children continue to lose their lives in the Mediterranean when all EU Member States have committed to protecting the lives and rights of every child by signing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This commitment must not remain an empty declaration. We must act to end the deaths at Europe’s borders and protect children on the move,” says Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e.V.

According to the German Children’s Fund (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk), the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is considered the most important human rights instrument for children and is the convention that has been signed by the most countries to date. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20th November 1989 and entered into force on 2nd September 1990. It has been in force in Germany since 1992.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, more than 117 million people were displaced worldwide by the end of 2023. About 40 percent of them are minors. Sea-Eye has saved more than 18,000 people from drowning since 2016 – many of them children and young people. As part of a campaign to mark the 35th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the organisation is raising awareness of the plight of refugee children.

More information

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Sea-Eye assists with flood relief in Spain

Solidarity with ValenciaAnna di Bari

The civilian sea rescue organisation Sea-Eye is supporting the Spanish NGO L’Aurora with emergency aid in the worst-affected regions of Valencia.

The floods in Spain have so far claimed the lives of more than 200 people and many are still missing. The SEA-EYE 4, currently moored in the port of Burriana, is being used as a relief centre to provide people with food, clothing and hygiene items. The rescue ship’s kitchen, medical centre and sleeping quarters are available to flood relief workers. Crew members are also volunteering in the crisis area, cooking meals and distributing water, first aid kits and safety equipment.

Vicent Aleixandre, founder of L’Aurora and coordinator of the operation in the affected area, welcomes any kind of help: “Our people have lost everything. The poverty in the affected communities will multiply exponentially. As a society, we must be at their side to generate mechanisms and tools to be at the side of those most in need.”

Anna di Bari, Sea-Eye board member, adds from the field: “The extent of the destruction is barely recognisable in the pictures, but talking to the people affected gives an idea of what people have lost, and in L’Aurora we have a close ally who knows the region well and is fully committed to helping where little help arrives. For us, it goes without saying that Sea-Eye is providing support, especially as the region around Valencia has welcomed us with solidarity and warmth when we have been to the port of Burriana in recent years.”

Sea-Eye is currently collecting donations for the relief effort. Anyone interested can find out more here: Solidarity with Valencia

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SEA-EYE 5: 78 refugees go ashore in Pozzallo

Disembarkation in PozzalloSea-Eye e.V

Italian coast guard evacuated emergency medical patient

At noon on Thursday, November 7, 2024, the all-weather lifeboat SEA-EYE 5 brought a total of 78 survivors from two separate distress cases at sea that had occurred off Lampedusa to safety in Pozzallo, Sicily.

Sea-Eye’s head of mission had previously tried to be granted permission to use a nearby port from Tuesday onwards, whereupon the Italian coastguard assigned Ortona, although it already knew from a distress case last week that the Sea-Eye all-weather lifeboat would not be able to cover such a long distance for technical reasons. In addition, it is not reasonable for the survivors to remain on the SEA-EYE 5 for more than 24 hours for humanitarian reasons. It was only on Wednesday evening that the Italian coastguard finally named Pozzallo as the port of disembarkation.

“It is simply impressive to see this former DGzRS ship in action in the Mediterranean. The ship and crew have done an outstanding job over the past two weeks, saving a total of 175 lives. The former NIS RANDERS will save many more lives,” says Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e.V.

“In addition to various minor injuries, one patient with a serious chronic medical condition had to be treated on board. Another patient was suffering from a rapidly developing wound infection. He eventually became so unwell that the Italian coastguard had to evacuate him. After I had spent some time with the refugees and built up trust, they told me about the violence, torture and inhumane living conditions they had experienced in Libya,” said Tamsin Drew, a doctor from German Doctors, describing the medical situation.

The crew of the SEA-EYE 5 rescued 110 people off Lampedusa in three operations on Tuesday and Wednesday. 31 people from the third rescue operation were taken over by the Italian coastguard off Lampedusa on Wednesday. In addition, another person was evacuated from the ship by the Italian coastguard for medical reasons. There have been several distress cases off the Mediterranean island since Tuesday morning.

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