After 20 missions and the rescue of over 3,700 people: Sea-Eye hands over the SEA-EYE 4 to Mediterranea Saving Humans

The ship will continue to save lives in the Mediterranean as part of the civil fleet.

After more than four and a half years of service with Sea-Eye, the SEA-EYE 4 is changing hands as part of a strategic realignment. The organisation has decided to transfer ownership of the ship to Mediterranea Saving Humans, an Italian organisation. Operating under the new name MEDITERRANEA, the ship will continue to save lives and play an integral role in the civil rescue fleet.

The transfer of the SEA-EYE 4 demonstrates the solidarity among non-governmental organisations operating in the Mediterranean. Given the ever-growing obstacles that the EU and its member states are placing in the way of civil sea rescue operations, these organisations must continuously adapt their strategies. Ships flying the Italian flag are also increasingly subject to attempts at criminalisation: From October 2025, six activists from Mediterranea Saving Humans will stand trial for allegedly aiding and abetting illegal immigration. This relates to a rescue operation in 2020, when the organisation saved 27 people who had been adrift at sea for over a month. However, as the SEA-EYE 4 fulfils all the requirements to continue operating under the German flag, Mediterranea Saving Humans has a solid legal foundation and greater scope for action in the future. Sea-Eye has also adapted its strategy: To operate more flexibly and successfully, Sea-Eye will rely on a fleet of smaller, faster ships; the all-weather lifeboat SEA-EYE 5 has been in operation since October 2024.

“The fact that Mediterranea Saving Humans can now operate under the German flag protects the organisation from further attempts by the Italian government to criminalise it, thus strengthening its presence on one of the world’s deadliest escape routes. While the EU and its member states are working to make escape routes more dangerous to reduce arrivals, we stand together for a civil society alternative to the increasingly brutal border regime. We will continue to join forces wherever possible to save lives, and together we will resolutely oppose the policy of isolation and deterrence at Europe’s external borders,” explains Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye. “The SEA-EYE 4 was our biggest project to date. We are eternally grateful to all the dedicated individuals, donors, and partner organisations who have made its operations possible so far.”

“The Italian authorities accuse us, they prosecute us for this, they construct judicial machinations using the secret services and classifying us as a ‘threat to national security’, and they would like to intimidate us, force us into a corner, turn us into desperate victims full of resentment. But this will never happen. The strength we draw from doing everything we can to save lives is immensely greater than any political attempts to stop us by throwing obstacles in our way. Today, the civil fleet is stronger than before, today Mediterranea is doubling in size with the support of Sea-Eye. Today, the SEA-EYE 4 becomes MEDITERRANEA and continues its life as a ship of care and dignity,” emphasises Luca Casarini, co-founder and head of mission of Mediterranea Saving Humans.

The SEA-EYE 4 is a former offshore supply vessel that Sea-Eye acquired in 2020 with the support of the alliance United4Rescue. Around 250 volunteers then converted it into a rescue ship. It began its maiden voyage in May 2021 and has since conducted 20 missions, rescuing over 3,700 people in distress at sea.