Italy delays disembarkation of 50 rescued individuals from all-weather lifeboat SEA-EYE 5 despite precarious humanitarian situation
Assigned port in Vibo Valentia is located over 295 nautical miles from the rescue site
On the afternoon of June 6, 2025, the organization Alarm Phone informed the relevant authorities and the all-weather lifeboat SEA-EYE 5 of a distress case in the Libyan Search and Rescue Zone. Around 8:00 p.m., the SEA-EYE 5 crew reached the rubber boat in distress and evacuated its 50 occupants. Despite the ship’s limited onboard capacity, Italian authorities subsequently assigned the port of Vibo Valentia for disembarkation, which is located 295 nautical miles from the site of the rescue. This disproportionately long transit time poses an acute risk to the health and safety of all people on board. The rescued individuals are exposed to the open elements in extremely confined space. The vessel can provide no sleeping accommodations, limited sanitation infrastructure, and only basic supplies of food and water.
“At the time of rescue, most individuals were already soaked, dehydrated, seasick, and extremely exhausted. In addition, they suffered from moderate to severe sunburns, scabies, as well as older wounds and back injuries. Their general condition worsened the longer we remained at sea, and – as we anticipated – became significantly more difficult on the second night. Waves were washing over the deck, and the rescued people sought shelter under their blankets. Soaking wet and freezing, they waited for sunrise to bring some warmth,” explained Merle Brinkhus, onboard doctor on the SEA-EYE 5 for German Doctors e.V.
Due to the deteriorating conditions onboard, SEA-EYE 5 officially requested permission from the responsible Italian authorities a total of four times to disembark the rescued individuals at a closer port. All requests were denied. No explanation was given regarding why the provided reasoning of health- and safety concerns was not considered sufficient. In the last three missions carried out by SEA-EYE 5, the Italian authorities had acknowledged the humanitarian situation and granted requests for closer ports accordingly.
Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye e.V., emphasized: “Why they have actively decided against that this time is inexplicable to us. SEA-EYE 5 is neither equipped nor suited for such long transit distances. By refusing to assign us a closer port, the Italian authorities are knowingly accepting serious risks to both the rescued people and our crew. There are plenty of safe ports in southern Italy capable of disembarking people fleeing danger.”
The SEA-EYE 5 is operated by Sea-Eye e.V., a non-profit organization that has been running rescue ships in the Mediterranean since 2015 and has rescued over 18,000 people from distress at sea.
