Internal Rescue Report No. 28 – H1

The crew on board our search and rescue vessel, the Humanity 1, witnessed a violent pullback by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, in clear violation of international law. In addition, several empty boats were spotted on the open sea – a sign that people had been violently and illegally forced backed to Libya.

For the first time, we have two vessels in operation at the same time. Our rescue ship Humanity 1 and our sailing vessel Humanity 2 are in the operational area, being on lookout for people in distress at sea. Instead of survivors, the crew of Humanity 2 discovered several bodies drifting in the water.

The 73 people in total, whom the crew of our rescue vessel rescued from two boats in distress, were able to disembark safely in Ravenna today. For the survivors, being directed to a distant port meant spending up to nine days at sea in scorching heat. Under maritime law, the two rescue operations are now complete.

Our search and rescue vessel Humanity 1 is en route to Ravenna – the place of safety designated by the Italian authorities for the 73 people rescued from distress at sea on board. Ravenna is over 1,550 km and six days’ distance from the site of the second rescue. Once again, survivors are being denied the right to disembark quickly. The mayor of Ravenna, Alessandro Barattoni, has described the long crossing, according to ANSA, as “an exhausting and, if I may say so, inhumane journey.” Temperatures on deck are 35 degrees with high humidity.

Early this morning, the crew of our rescue vessel Humanity 1 rescued eight unaccompanied minors from a small rubber boat in distress in international waters. The survivors had set off from Zuwara three days ago. The distress case was spotted by our crew through binoculars without a prior distress call. With a total of 73 survivors from two rescue operations, the Humanity 1 is now en route to the assigned port of safety, Ravenna. The people are exhausted and dehydrated and are receiving emergency care from our crew.

In the evening, survivors and crew on board our search and rescue ship Humanity 1 witnessed a violent pullback by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard breaching international law. For more than half an hour, a Libyan patrol boat chased an overcrowded rubber boat carrying around 30 people who were fleeing precisely this violence. In the process, the patrol boat – provided by Italy and funded by the EU – carried out dangerous manoeuvres and rammed the rubber boat several times. Our vessel Humanity 1 – the only ship in the vicinity that could have carried out a rescue in accordance with international law – was aggressively ordered by them to leave the area. We were forced to comply with the order and watch as people seeking protection were intercepted and forcibly returned to Libya.

In the afternoon, the crew of our search and rescue vessel Humanity 1 rescued 65 people, including more than ten minors and four women, from an overcrowded rubber boat in distress at sea. The survivors had set out from Libya three days earlier. There was no life-saving equipment on board, and water supplies were running low.

On board our search and rescue vessel Humanity 1, the crew has undergone extensive training in readiness for operations, and is active in the area of operations on lookout for people in distress at sea.