ALAN KURDI Saves 114 Lives

ALAN KURDI: Saved Child

Numerous emergencies at sea in international waters

  • ALAN KURDI crew rescues 114 people from two boats
  • So-called Libyan Coast Guard also involved in sea emergencies
  • Sea-Eye signs purchase agreement for rescue ship GHALIB KURDI

On Saturday afternoon, the ALAN KURDI crew rescued a total of 114 people from two different boats. At 11:45 a.m., the ship’s watch first sighted an overloaded rubber dinghy, carrying 90 people. Captain Joachim Ebeling immediately informed the German and Libyan authorities. The people on the rubber boat reported about other boats with people who had fled Libya.

ALAN KURDI: Rescue

Hence, immediately after the first rescue, a smaller, overcrowded fishing boat with 24 people calling for help was spotted as well. All of the 114 people, including eight women and eight children, are now aboard the ALAN KURDI. Four people are currently being cared for in the ship’s hospital ward, including a pregnant woman and a man with severe circulatory problems. One of the women and one man are being treated for lacerations.

“For fear of being dragged back by Libyan militias, these people did not send a distress call for help. This was an enormous risk and they were extremely lucky that our ship’s watch spotted them with their binoculars,” says Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e. V.

So-called Libyan Coast Guard also involved in sea emergencies

Shortly after the second rescue operation, the so-called Libyan coast guard approached at high speed. The Libyan patrol boat was itself involved in a distress call at sea and was completely overloaded as a result. The Libyans did not contact the ALAN KURDI, took the empty fishing boat and turned towards Libya. Neither the Libyan authorities nor the European rescue coordination centers responded to the emergency calls from ALAN KURDI by phone or email.

“In the meantime, all communication with aid organizations has ceased and nobody in Europe views themselves as responsible for these people anymore. They are being handed over to the Libyans or the sea. But they are now on a German ship and are finally being treated like humans again,” says Jan Ribbeck from Sea-Eye’s operations management team.

Sea-Eye signs purchase agreement for rescue ship GHALIB KURDI

On Thursday evening Sea-Eye signed the purchase contract for the new, larger rescue ship, which will be named GHALIB KURDI. The organization had already announced this on September 1st at a press conference in Regensburg. Which ship Sea-Eye has selected will remain confidential. It is solely a matter of risk management.

“There are some modifications to be made. We are simply concerned about the safety of our volunteers and the safety of the previous owner,” says Isler.

When Sea-Eye took over the former German research vessel PROFESSOR ALBRECHT PENCK (today’s ALAN KURDI), they also did not disclose the name of the vessel until it could safely go on its first mission.

“We will equip the ship as fast as possible and then present it together with our new cooperation partners, with whom we will then set off on joint missions,” Isler continues.

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ALAN KURDI Returns To Sea

Rescue ship: ALAN KURDI

Sea-Eye condemns German conception of a “European solution”

  • ALAN KURDI returns for another mission after four months
  • Spanish authorities support the view of the German authorities
  • Sea-Eye criticizes German engagement after the fire in Moria
  • Sea-Eye appeals to home port city of Hamburg

ALAN KURDI returns for another mission after four months

After a four months long forced break, the Sea-Eye rescue ship ALAN KURDI returns to sea for its next mission. It left the Spanish port of Burriana on Friday evening. After the last rescue of 150 people, Italian authorities had detained the ALAN KURDI in Palermo at the beginning of May, during the Corona-crisis. In August, Sea-Eye filed a lawsuit against this administrative act before the administrative court in Palermo, the verdict is still pending. The forced detention by the Italian authorities prevented a total of three of the ship’s planned missions. According to the IOM, 252 people drowned in the ALAN KURDI’s operational area during this period.

Spanish authorities support the view of the German authorities

Immediately after the detention, the responsible flag state authority in Germany confirmed that the ALAN KURDI is correctly equipped and certified according to its category. Sea-Eye used the forced break to make numerous technical improvements to the ship. The Spanish port state has now affirmed the position of the German flag state authority. After checking the technical equipment and certification by an extensive port state control, Spain granted the ALAN KURDI permission to cast off and informed the German and Italian authorities.

“There was no objection from Italy on Friday. But we have to expect discussions about sewage systems and yet another port state control by the Italian authorities”, said Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye e. V.

Sea-Eye criticizes German engagement after the fire in Moria

“The ‘European solution’ is a fairy tale which implies that something good is still to come. We have been witnessing the actual, European solution for 5 years. 20,000 dead in the Mediterranean, 12,000 people seeking protection in Moria and 69 deportations on the 69th birthday of our Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer”, says Isler about the German federal government’s commitment to the fire disaster in the Moria refugee camp.

The Federal Minister of the Interior said in a session of the Bundestag on Friday that Germany was ready to evacuate up to 150 children from Lesbos. He called this measure i.a. “an act of Christian charity”. There is still no solution for the more than 12,000 homeless people seeking protection on Lesbos.

Sea-Eye appeals to home port city of Hamburg

Immediately after the fire in Moria, various federal states declared their willingness to evacuate people from Lesbos. North Rhine-Westphalia would be ready to evacuate a total of 1,000 people. In the meantime, various federal states are working on a Federal Council initiative that aims to enable the federal states themselves to help directly and to evacuate people. Berlin and Thuringia started the Federal Council initiative. Hamburg would now be the one to tip the scales. The expectations of Hamburg are high, since the politically Red and Green Hamburg has already declared itself a safe harbor.

“Such a declaration increases the responsibility to seize the opportunity and to join this historic Federal Council initiative”, says Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye.

In one week, the Federal Council initiative will be voted on in a plenary session of the Federal Council, under ITEM11. Immediately after the disaster, the Hamburg Senator of the Interior Andy Grote declared that Hamburg was ready to take people in. If the other senators of the Hamburg SPD follow him, the approval of the Green government partner should be nothing more than a matter of form.

“Hamburg is the home port of several NGO rescue ships. Now we are appealing to the Hanseatic city itself not to ignore this humanitarian tipping point and to flip the switch in the Federal Council for a human rights-based policy”, Isler continues.

GHALIB KURDI Is Sea Eye’s Newest Rescue Ship

Crew of ALAN KURDI© Karsten Jäger/sea-eye.org

The GHALIB KURDI will be deployed before the end of this year

  • Fifth anniversary of the death of Alan, Ghalib and Rehanna Kurdi
  • New campaign ‘Ehrlich gesagt’ (‘Honestly speaking’)
  • Regensburg becomes home port of GHALIB KURDI

At a press conference in Regensburg on Tuesday morning, civil sea rescue organization Sea-Eye announced its plans to purchase a new rescue vessel and to deploy it before the end of this year. The new ship will be named GHALIB KURDI in memory of Alan Kurdi’s older brother, who also drowned five years ago. The family of the deceased children strongly support Sea-Eye’s cause and intends to become even more involved with Sea-Eye in the future.

“We could not save our own family. Let’s save the others,” Tima Kurdi stated at the opening of the press conference.

Since November 2019, the Italian Coast Guard has been entangling Sea-Eye in technical disputes. Italian officials have criticized the ship for not having sufficient sewage and waste disposal capacities on board. Even the fact that the competent German authorities strongly refuted this did not help. In August 2020, Sea-Eye had to file an urgent procedure lawsuit with the administrative court in Palermo. Sea-Eye expects a ruling in the coming weeks.

“Already in November 2019 it became clear to us that Italy will increasingly try to argue in this direction. Anticipating this, a project team has been working since February to find a larger ship that meets all requirements. Regardless of whether these are justified or not. We want to save people from drowning. The only way to do this is to send our ships to sea. That is why we need the GHALIB KURDI,” Gorden Isler states, Chairman of Sea-Eye.

In July, the general assembly of the civil sea rescue organization already gave the green light at a meeting in Erfurt and instructed the board to go ahead with the plans. In the meantime, Sea-Eye has selected a ship and agreed on a purchase price with a German shipowner. Sea-Eye’s donors and supporters have already ensured the financing of the purchase. Among other donors, the Catholic Church is also a big supporter of the project. Currently, Sea-Eye is drawing up the shipyard plan for equipping the ship and is preparing the contracts for the transfer of ownership. The ship will be presented to the public after the transfer of ownership. At the same time, Sea-Eye will introduce new partner organizations that will accompany Sea-Eye’s missions in the future.

“The increasing difficulties are likely to become tough for individual organizations to cope with alone. We are therefore talking to various experienced organizations about sharing tasks and responsibilities,” continues Isler.

Fifth anniversary of the death of Alan, Ghalib and Rehanna Kurdi

September 2nd 2020 marks the fifth anniversary of the death of Alan Kurdi. The picture of the drowned two-year-old boy gained sad notoriety. Meanwhile, hardly any attention was paid to the fact that the lifeless body of the two years older brother Ghalib was found a few hundred metres away next to the also drowned mother Rehanna. In an interview the father Abdullah Kurdi later quoted the last words of his son Ghalib: “Don’t be afraid father.”

Abdullah’s sister Tima Kurdi wrote down the family’ history. Her book “The Boy on the Beach” will be published in German bookstores in October. Since the family tragedy, she uses her voice to stand up for the rights of refugees and people seeking protection. Over the past five years, the EU member states have continued to focus on closing borders and deterrence. In recent years, some 20,000 more people have drowned in the Mediterranean. Armed Libyan militias now serve as bouncers for the EU and living conditions in the refugee camps on the Greek islands can only be described as inhumane and cruel.

“In the last five years, many people in Germany have committed themselves to helping refugees. Europe must now work to end the war in my home country. Europe must return to a human rights-based course and create humanitarian corridors,” Tima Kurdi states.

New campaign ‘Ehrlich gesagt’ – ‘Honestly speaking’

In order to raise funds for the ALAN KURDI and GHALIB KURDI missions, Sea-Eye is launching the ‘Ehrlich gesagt’ (‘Honestly speaking’) campaign on September 3rd. The concept comes from the Hamburg agency Grabarz & Partner and was presented at the press conference by Alexander Baron.

“We are not merely doing our job, we are also committed to society. And since we don’t go on a mission ourselves, we at least try to do everything we can to ensure that Sea-Eye can do it,” Baron states.

The campaign aims to convey its message in an emotional yet straight-forward and concise way, without relying on the typical use of pictures of sea rescuers or rescued people. The campaign will be billboarded in Regensburg, Munich, Berlin, and Cologne.

Home port Regensburg

Regensburg will be the home port of the new rescue ship, the same city where Sea-Eye e.V. was founded in October 2015 by Michael Buschheuer and friends. In addition, Regensburg was the first city in Bavaria to declare itself a “Safe Harbor” within the framework of the Seebrücke movement and the Potsdam Declaration.

“Many people from the African continent still set off in the direction of Europe via the sea because they hope to escape armed conflicts, terror, hunger and poverty. Rescue organizations such as Sea-Eye e.V., based in Regensburg, perform an important humanitarian task. I am very pleased that the GHALIB KURDI is the organization’s fourth ship to conduct rescue missions, and I am proud to call Regensburg its home port,” explains Regensburg’s Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer, who also took part in the press conference.

In another symbolic gesture of support, the city agreed to the temporary renaming of two places. From September 3rd, the “Iron Bridge” will be named “Michael-Buschheuer-Bridge” for three months and the “Marc-Aurel-Ufer” will be renamed “Alan-and-Ghalib-Kurdi-Harbor”, after an idea of artist Dušan Zahoranský.

Sea-Eye is suing the Italian Ministry of Transport

ALAN KURDI in port

The Italian authorities had previously detained ALAN KURDI

  • Sea-Eye files lawsuit against Italian Ministry of Transport and Palermo Port Authority
  • Legal opinion by law of the sea experts refutes Italian view
  • Italian Ministry of Transport counteracts international law

The Sea-Eye ship ALAN KURDI is currently in the Spanish port of Burriana. Previously, it was held in Palermo for over seven weeks. Sea-Eye has therefore already had to cancel three rescue missions. The Italian coast guard detained the ship after the rescue of 150 people on May 5, 2020 in Palermo, citing “serious safety deficiencies”. The Italian authorities later also detained Sea-Watch’s rescue ship the SEA-WATCH 3, the OCEAN VIKING of SOS Mediterranée, as well as the AITA MARI operated by Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario, on similar grounds. Sea-Eye has now filed a lawsuit.

“In our opinion, the decision made by the Italian authorities has to be considered illegal and creates legal uncertainties that aim to prevent further operations by ALAN KURDI. Sea rescue is an obligation under international law,” said Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e. V.

The Italian coast guard criticized that the NGO’s ships did not have enough sanitation and sewage systems and that they did not have sufficient safety certificates to regularly save so many people and bring them to an Italian port safely and in compliance with environmental regulations. The German flag state authority (BG Verkehr), which reports to the German Federal Ministry of Transport, however, negated this in the case of ALAN KURDI, immediately after the ship was detained in May 2020. BG Verkehr repeatedly confirmed that ALAN KURDI had the necessary safety certificates and also complied with the relevant environmental standards. As for the fact that there were significantly more people on board after the case of emergency of a rescue of people in distress at sea, the exceptions to environmental and safety regulations expressly included in the relevant international regulations to save life at sea took effect.

“It cannot be the case that a conflict is being constructed in which civilian actors now have to argue with state actors about how many people can even still be rescued,” Isler continues.

Legal opinion by law of the sea experts refutes Italian view

Maritime law experts from the Institute for Maritime Law and Maritime Law at the University of Hamburg prepared a brief legal opinion that addressed the alleged deficiencies that were raised in the course of the detention by the Italian coast guard. This report supports the legal opinion of BG Verkehr.

“To detain the ALAN KURDI, it should be said that some of the regulations not explicitly specified by the Italian authorities do not even exist in this form, which is why “SOLAS” is only “referenced to in an abstract way,” says Maritime law expert Valentin Schatz.

The Italian Ministry of Transport repeatedly argues that the operations of the NGOs are planned rescue operations and the ships must therefore be equipped accordingly, so that they can carry a large number of people on board, even during everyday operations. The fact that Italy does not recognize the current exceptions for sea rescue is not legally tenable.

“Even a ship like OCEAN VIKING, which has very large capacities and can undoubtedly be used as a professional rescue ship, is not enough for the Italian authorities if it saves more people than, for example, the ship’s waste water system or garbage management plan provides. Ignoring the fact that, even if one followed the Italian view in principle, encountering an emergency at sea with more than the permitted number of people remains an “unplanned incident.” If one thinks the Italian reasoning through, then all rescue ships operated by the state would have to be detained as well, because they regularly happen to save a larger number of people from drowning than they would be able to have on board during standard operations,” added Schatz.

The legal opinion of the Hamburg Maritime law experts served as the basis for Sea-Eye’s brief, which was filed with the Administrative Court in Palermo and was drawn up by Italian lawyers.

Italian Ministry of Transport counteracts international law

According to Art. 91 Para. 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea: “Each state determines the conditions under which it grants ships their nationality, enters them in the shipping register on their territory and grants them the right to fly their flag.” Germany has laid down such conditions in accordance with the applicable international conventions for safety at sea and marine environmental protection for the ALAN KURDI and only these stipulated regulations can be the basis for an inspection of the port state by Italy.

“Adapting the interpretation of international rules to one’s own political agenda in order to exert pressure on the flag states is a transparent, perfidious strategy and runs counter to international law,” said Isler.

In the past, former Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini de facto called on the other EU member states to amend their national laws if necessary so that they would suffice to prevent the aid organizations from rescuing the sea. The detention of four NGO ships and the construction of a technical dissent with the flag states Germany, Spain and Norway is a logical continuation of this Lega party policy.

“We have confidence in the Italian justice system, which now has to create legal clarity again. In order to be able to return to missions with legal certainty, we have applied for an urgent procedure,” says Isler.

Meanwhile, the United Nations reports that at least 29 people have drowned in the Mediterranean sea in the past few days.

Sea-Eye successfully frees rescue ship ALAN KURDI

ALAN KURDI in the Mediterranean

Maritime law expert speaks of illegal measures against Sea-Eye

  • Detention of the ALAN KURDI ends
  • Expert on maritime law cites Italy’s measures as unlawful
  • Sea-Eye considers appeal
  • 55,000 supporters demanded release
  • Church alliance bears blockade costs
  • ALAN KURDI may go to Spain

Since 5 May the Italian coast guard had detained the ALAN KURDI in the port of Palermo. Previously the ship had saved 150 lives in the international waters off Libya. After an eleven-day blockade and a subsequent two-week quarantine of the crew, the Italian coast guard claimed to have detected “serious safety deficiencies”.

As the German Ministry of Transport stated on 7 May already: “In the view of the German flag state administration, the irregularities detected by the Italian authorities do not concern serious safety deficiencies”.

The Italian argumentation aimed in particular at the allegedly inadequate sewage system, toilets and waste disposal facilities on the ship.

Expert on maritime law cites Italy’s measures as unlawful

Maritime law expert Valentin Schatz (Institute for the Law of the Sea and for Maritime Law, University of Hamburg) advised Sea-Eye together with other experts in the past weeks.

“The technical requirements imposed on the ALAN KURDI by the Italian Ministry of Transport do not correspond to the class of ship legally determined by the German authorities and disregard the exemptions for sea rescue in the relevant international conventions for the protection of the marine environment and the safety of maritime traffic. The unlawfulness of the Italian measures was challenged by the responsible office for ship safety of the German flag state authority against the Italian authorities, who were not impressed. The Federal Government should be aware that with such illegal detentions of German ships, Italy is also violating the rights of the Federal Republic of Germany as the flag state of ALAN KURDI, which are guaranteed under international law, and is damaging the reputation of the German flag,” states Schatz.

Sea-Eye will therefore promptly examine all possible legal remedies in order to provide clarity.

55,000 supporters demanded release

With the petition “Free the Ships” Sea-Eye demanded the release of the rescue ships ALAN KURDI and the Spanish ship AITA MARI, which was also detained in Palermo. More than 55,000 people joined this demand in a petition. Leoluca Orlando, Mayor of Palermo, personally appealed to the Italian Minister of Transport to ensure that the ships were not stopped.

Church alliance bears blockade costs

Overall, the blockade in the port of Palermo caused financial damage of around €70,000. Around € 20,000 are due for a special fee which is charged to “non-commercial ships” due to the corona crisis. The sea rescuers from Regensburg can bear the high costs thanks to financial support from the “United 4 Rescue” alliance initiated by the EKD (Evangelical Church in Germany).

ALAN KURDI may go to Spain

The ALAN KURDI is free again and is now heading for the Spanish coast. As Italy continues to maintain its legal position, Sea-Eye, in cooperation with the German authorities, will now determine the circumstances under which the vessel can sail on its next mission without being detained again by the Italian authorities.

“We are free, but not free from further trouble. We were threatened that we would surely be detained again,” states Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye.

At a meeting in Rome, on June 10, Sea-Eye was able to agree with the Italian coast guard that the ALAN KURDI may leave the port of Palermo if the flag state consents and the Spanish authorities agree to the arrival of the ALAN KURDI. The German and Spanish authorities eventually agreed.

“We are grateful to the Spanish and German authorities for helping us to free ourselves from this devastating stranglehold,” states Isler further.

The legal uncertainty caused by Italy is now thwarting the ALAN KURDI’s planned deployment in July. Another, even longer blockade could ruin the association from Regensburg.

“We will find a solution, as we have succeeded time and again, and are determined to save human lives again soon,” concludes Isler.

In order to be able to defend ourselves against the measures before an Italian administrative court and to prepare the next mission, we are dependent on your donation. Because Sea-Eye’s work is only possible through donations. Will you help us?

Petition: Free the rescue ships!

ALAN KURDI in Palermo

The Italian Ministry of Transport has been detaining our rescue ship ALAN KURDI in the port of Palermo for over two weeks. The rescue ship AITA MARI of the Spanish organization Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario (SMH) was also detained in the same port. At the same time, people are still dying in the Mediterranean Sea, while seeking a place of safety.

The Italian coast guard justified detaining the rescue ships citing safety concerns. Our German flag state strongly opposed this assessment and determined that there were no such serious security deficiencies.

Italy is taking decisive action against civil rescue ships, thereby preventing our humanitarian work. This will gravely endanger our planned mission in June.

“Every day that rescue ships are hindered from doing their jobs, there is a risk that human lives will be lost at sea,” said Sea-Eye Chairman Gorden Isler.

Support our petition and set an example for humanity.

Sign now!
#freeAlanKurdi

Harassment of rescue ship ALAN KURDI prevents next mission

ALAN KURDI in Palermo

No rescue ship deployed in the Mediterranean at the moment

  • Rescue ship ALAN KURDI detained in Palermo for the time being
  • Grotesque arguments of Italian authorities
  • German authorities see no reason for the detention

On Tuesday evening, our rescue ship ALAN KURDI was detained in the port of Palermo. Italian officials gave as reasons that the ship had defects that would affect safety on board. Before its last mission, however, the ship underwent a five-week shipyard time which ended in March. There, the ship had been given a complete overhaul in many areas.

Grotesque arguments of Italian authorities

“Detaining our ship is pure harassment to grind civil sea rescue efforts to a halt bit-by-bit. The ALAN KURDI has just left the shipyard and has been completely overhauled. This blockade’s only goal is to actively stop us from rescuing at sea. Instead of protecting human rights, those who do it are held up at every corner”, states spokesperson Julian Pahlke.

We have already contacted German authorities to work towards ending the blockade.

“The reasoning of Italian authorities that they are concerned about the safety of the crew and the rescued seems grotesque. If they had really been concerned about the safety of the rescued, then they should not have blockaded them for 12 days on board of the ALAN KURDI before”, states Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye e. V.

Similar to the ALAN KURDI a few weeks ago, the merchant ship MV MARINA of a shipping company from Hamburg is being blocked off Lampedusa, because it rescued 78 people. The shipping company refers to the people’s dire situation and has so far not received any support.

“The politically-motivated abuse of official authority by the Italian coast guard is preventing our planned mission in May. That is irresponsible”, states Isler further.

German authorities see no reason for the detention

Sea-Eye is in contact with German authorities, who are also trying to clarify the situation quickly. A reason to officially detain the ALAN KURDI was not confirmed by the German authorities to Sea-Eye on Wednesday.

The ALAN KURDI had rescued 150 people from distress at sea on 6 April and then had to wait 12 days for a political solution before the remaining 146 people were brought to safety. Before that, four people had to be evacuated for medical reasons. On Monday, after 16 more days of quarantine, the ship finally entered the port of Palermo, where it was detained today.

ALAN KURDI docks in Palermo after quarantine

ALAN KURDI in the Mediterranean

Quarantine ship RAFFAELE RUBATTINO also moored on Monday morning

  • Odyssey of the ALAN KURDI ends after 36 days at sea
  • Crew is tested for COVID-19
  • The most laborious mission for the Regensburg sea rescuers so far
  • Quarantine ship RAFFAELE RUBATTINO docks in Palermo
  • Distribution of people saved remains unclear

The odyssey of the ALAN KURDI ended Monday morning in the port of Palermo. A 14-day quarantine was previously ordered for the crew, which had to be completed in the Bay of Palermo. The 17 crew members now spent a total of 36 days at sea.

Crew is tested for COVID-19

Upon arrival at the port of Palermo, the crew underwent COVID-19 testing. The crew must not leave the ship until the test results are available. The crew will then thoroughly clean the entire ship. An Italian company will then disinfect the ALAN KURDI according to official instructions. The Sea-Eye crew management will then support each of the crew members individually with regards to the return to their home countries of Germany, France, Spain and Austria.

Crew of the ALAN KURDI in Palermo

The most laborious mission for the Regensburg sea rescuers so far

The mission lasted a total of 8 weeks. It is the most complex and laborious operation that the Regensburg sea rescuers have carried out so far.

“The ALAN KURDI has never had so many people on board for so long. No crew had to take care of more people and we never had to use so many resources for a mission. These are sad records,” says Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e. V.

Sea-Eye received support from the United 4 Rescue Alliance (founded by the Evangelical Church in Germany), which paid for the high costs caused by the long blockade. The Endowment Fund for Civil Sea Rescue, initiated by Jan Böhmermann and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf, will also help Sea-Eye to ensure the next mission of the ALAN KURDI.

“The solidarity with our crew and the people saved was incredible. We are grateful for that. This is the only way for civilian actors to master the demanding task of sea rescue,” adds Isler.

Quarantine ship RAFFAELE RUBATTINO docks in Palermo

The Spanish rescue ship AITA MARI and the Italian ferry RAFFAELE RUBATTINO, on which the rescued people of both ships were cared for by the Italian Red Cross, were also allowed to moor on Monday morning.

Quarantine ship: RAFFAELE RUBATTINO in Palermo

Distribution of people saved remains unclear

How things will continue for the people rescued by the ALAN KURDI still remains unclear. The Federal Minister of the Interior announced on Sunday that so far, only Germany has agreed to take in refugees.

“It’s hard to imagine that European interior ministers will have to discuss and negotiate over 150 individual fates. First the BMI asked us to stop the rescues, now negotiations have to be held again at a European level, for a mere 150 people. In Germany there are 150 cities that are ready to offer their help and take people in. The simple question of distributing the rescued people is being unnecessarily politically exaggerated and exploited yet again,” said Julian Pahlke, spokesman for Sea-Eye e. V.

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There is no argument in favour of returning people to Libya

Our human rights observer Stephen

Interview with Stephen, human rights observer on board the ALAN KURDI

Human rights observer aboard the ALAN KURDI. What does this job entail?

The human rights observer has essentially multiple tasks. The first task is normal shift operations: being on guard duty, cooking food, all those tasks on board that all crew members do.

During a rescue, the human rights observer documents the operation. Every detail is kept in minutes: When was which e-mail sent to the authorities, who communicated what via radio? This serves the documentation of the events, should any judicial conflicts arise for whatever reasons. Where the rescue happened and how many persons were rescued needs to be precisely recorded.

For this, we make photos and audio recordings and supplement them with our notes. As indicated by the title of the human rights observer, I put special emphasis on the human rights situation. Especially when Libyan boats show up to the location of the rescue, this can be decisive. How to the different actors behave, do all adhere to the applicable laws? This can also concern the own crew.

The third task consists of collecting information about the human rights situation on the flight routes and in the countries of origin. For this, I conduct interviews and ask the people what happened to them and about their reasons for fleeing. Sometimes, the medical team makes me aware of clear signs of torture. If the person expresses the need to document their experiences and to have a conversation, I offer an interview and try to learn what happened.

These human rights violations must be documented and finally made public.

Militias disrupt rescue operation

How do you cope with these experiences personally?

As long as I am on board of the ALAN KURDI, there is no proper processing happening for me, I am not that far yet. For the time after the mission I have my own techniques that I developed in similar positions, for example in Ghana. Among them are music, sports and meditation to process these things.

Other organisations such as Repubblika document sometimes unimaginably cruel torture inflicted upon refugees. What do the guests tell you?

The stories I am told almost always start in the moment when people leave their country. They tell of arbitrary arrests, corruption, of human trafficking. But the focus of their escape stories lies mostly on Libya and the detention camps there. On this mission, I have heard a lot about forced labour, torture and human trafficking. Many were threatened in order to extort money from them and their families. Almost everyone mentions this. In addition, there are stories about human rights abuses they witnessed, how people were randomly shot or left in the desert. Some report sexual violence – basically, the entire range of human rights abuses one can imagine. All of this, people recounted in these interviews. Due to the tense situation on board, I had little time for these interviews. But what I heard was more than enough.

When hearing of all these cruelties and having to document then, how sensitively do you react to the argument, that the people are to be sent back to Libya?

This is indeed an argumentation that drives me furious. Most fleeing people do not originally come from Libya but have fled via Libya. Some had migrated to Libya for work. With the intensification of the conflict in Libya, the return route to their home countries is severed. Some have raised a lot of money for their flight and then experienced horrors.

Many have boarded a seaworthy boat with the certainty that this journey can lead to death. And they were forced to do it anyway, because the situation in Libya is unbearable.

The pushbacks conducted by Malta make me speechless. There is no argument that speaks in favour for returning these people to Libya. These people flee from violence, exploitation and torture. Some say they would rather die than return to Libya. Yes, it is true, I do react sensitively.

What do you think awaits refugees in Libya?

That is indeed hard to say in the times of Corona. Because also Libyan ports are barred, and refugees were returned on the behest of Malta by third parties, not by Libya’s own coast guard or Libyan militias. But I could reconstruct from the interviews that people are imprisoned again and brought back to the detention camps, from where they can only escape, if they raise very high amounts of money. Or they remain there for a very long time.

Our human rights observer Stephen

Sea rescues in the times of corona. What would be your solution?

Corona is not an argument to stop sea rescues. After all, people are also rescued from drowning in a public swimming lake without asking beforehand whether they are maybe infected with COVID-19. At the moment, it is made infinitely difficult for us to save lives. This will probably not change anytime soon. It is likely that rescued people will be, like in our current mission, provisionally moved onto ferries and distributed to different countries after a quarantine. The crews of rescue ships also need to go into a 14-day quarantine after a mission. Sea rescues are slowed down, they are made more difficult, but not yet impossible. Even though it was unnecessary that we were confined again for 14 days. We were already isolated for 12 days with the refugees at sea. All corona-tests of our guests had been already assessed as negatives on the quarantine ship. In addition, we had been already 11 days isolated at sea beforehand with refugees on board.

14 days quarantine, 14 days inactivity. What is the first thing you do when this period is over?

That is a good question. First, I have to find a way back to Germany, which will not be that easy during these times.

Is there a return for you to the ALAN KURDI?

Definitely. It was the first mission for me, and I did not know exactly what I was in for. Of course there were moments of tension, but an amazing crew made it worth it.

(Interview: Martin Geiger)

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If we show strength, we will make progress

Our captain Bärbel

Interview with Bärbel, Captain of the ALAN KURDI

Whenever I think of you, the old german nursery rhyme comes to my mind: “We anchored off Madagascar and had the plague on board”. Are there parallels?

I have to think more of Berthold Brecht “(…) a ship with eight sails and fifty cannons will be berthed at the quay”. But in all seriousness: I am annoyed at the moment and personally, I think the measures are unnecessary, because I am fairly sure that we do not actually have the plague or Corona on board.

But nerves are still on edge?

Yes, we just do not know what is going to happen. Instructions sometimes change day-by-day.

Is it then even possible for a Captain, who is bearing the responsibility after all, to sleep at night?

Well. Now again, yes. When the guests were on board, it was indeed very, very tough. But once the situation was solved and they were handed over to the Italian Red Cross, the tensions fell. Now, there is only the crew on board, and it functions great.

Is it very painful to be condemned to inactivity now?

When I read that boats with refugees left from Libya again and no one is being saved, then the rage is coming of course. While we are sentenced to doing nothing here, people are drowning there. An unbearable situation.

Suppose you had three free wishes when it comes to sea rescues – what would they be?

Greater support from the governments for civil sea rescues, functioning official sea rescue efforts, that handle the majority of this job, and a point of access where people can be brought – regardless of whether they were saved by civil organisations, commercial ships or indeed by official forces. This undignified haggling, this situation here on board until the distribution is finally decided, is tough to endure.

Our captain Bärbel

The psychological toll is surely immense, how do you deal with it?

We have extensive debriefs and spoke a lot with each other. As long as the rescue is ongoing and the people are on board, we are of course totally tense. We work almost around the clock and the few minutes in between are used for sleep. There is not much time to think. But from the moment that the refugees are off the boat, we start processing things. For this, we were given professional help from Sea-Eye. This time, unfortunately, only via video conference.

What comes next after the quarantine?

The quarantine is technically over today (Saturday). But it is the weekend here, and we can only get into the harbour if someone is there to do the Coronavirus test with us. And this after we have spent 14 days cut-off from the outside world on board. If they then find out that we do not have Corona – which, by the way, takes again 24 hours until the results are in – we can start disinfecting the ship, that takes another 48 hours. And when this is done, we are looking for a port where the ALAN KURDI can be handed over to the next crew.

Whether we then have to go again into quarantine in Germany is not entirely clear yet. Probably this will differ from state to state.

Are you at all afraid of Corona?

No. The likelihood that we were infected with Corona is extremely low. Seafaring is among the ten deadliest jobs in the world, so I am much more afraid of other things. The danger, for example, that I will suffer a stroke on board is much greater. And that we could not treat on board with our means.

Our captain Bärbel

What is the first thing you do once you are back at home?

Calling a shipping company to tell them that I can start my new job. Through the quarantine and this whole situation, my vacation has decreased to zero. From next week, even into the negative.

Very professional. Is there a return for you to the ALAN KURDI?

I can definitely imagine that, yes. I am now for the second time already on a sea rescue mission and also this situation cannot faze me.

What personal protection mechanisms do you have that the images do not follow you in your dreams?

On the first mission, the Libyans’ move to point guns at us, to shoot into the air did impress me a lot. This time not so much anymore. I thought: They shot into the air the last time, and if we show cojones (balls) now, we will make progress.

With this in mind, let us show that. Thank you so much for the talk!

(Interview: Martin Geiger)