Members of the Sea Watch team arrived in Lampedusa after a combined road and sea trip starting in Hamburg, taking in Genoa, Palermo, and Porto Empedocle and finally ending on the Island of Lampedusa. The team arrived carrying life-saving equipment to be used on the vessel’s upcoming patrols along with ship’s stores. The team’s arrival…
Author: HRAS-SeaWatch English Blog
The now archived Human Rights at Sea and Sea-Watch English-language rescue blog details the work carried out by the Sea-Watch team supported by HRAS interns in the Central Mediterranean saving lives at sea.
3500 people rescued off the coast of Libya
Yesterday, an estimated 3500 people were rescued off the coast of Libya. At 19:00L the first rescue boats arrived in Lampedusa followed by further arrivals at 0100L this morning. Approximately 200 African migrants were swiftly disembarked, medically screened and in cohorts of ten led to the Misericordie (a government health and social care service provider) bus waiting…
Island of Lampedusa
Three days into its time on the island of Lampedusa, the Sea Watch project’s feet seemingly haven’t touched the ground! But the welcome it has received has been nothing short of supportive. It is therefore important to note at this early stage how hugely grateful the Organisation is to the residents of Lampedusa and the…
On board a Guardia di Finanza vessel
After seemingly ending the day with a brief media interview and meeting with one of Save the Children’s representatives working at the Island’s purposely built refugee camp, Harald, Peter and I headed off for a well-earned pizza and glass of wine. What came next was an unexpected event. The journalist with whom we had just…
Addressing diverse matters
Tuesday on Lampedusa proceeded at an unceasingly rapid pace. After meeting Harald and Peter (our cameraman) at the nearby hotel, in customary Southern European fashion we hired out three scooters for the day to take us to our various meetings. Dashing from one corner of the island to the other we addressed matters as diverse…
Unexpected logistical hurdles!
In recent days the Sea Watch Organisation has been faced with a number of unexpected logistical hurdles. Long story short, rather than basing itself in Malta as originally planned, the Organisation will now base itself on the island of Lampedusa for the next five months. Having arrived early on Tuesday morning by ferry the reason…
Sea-Watch en route into the Mediterranean
The Sea Watch has just passed the Port City of Faro in the Algarve region of Portugal. In the next 48 hours she will sail through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea where she will effectively commence her first operational patrol keeping a lookout for migrant boats in distress. Last week, ‘Watch-the Med’,…
Anti-Smuggling Legislation and Migrant Rights
In a worrying development the EU recently approved plans to establish a naval force to combat people-smugglers facilitating migration from the Middle-East and North Africa to Europe. Much in line with the mandate adopted by EU Ministers to quash Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean, the new naval force will have authority to destroy the…
Port of Lisbon
The Sea Watch and her crew safely arrived in the Port of Lisbon on the 24 May. The sea conditions were far more favourable when compared to the 4m swells she contended with in the Bay of Biscay. All on board are in positive form and the shore-side team are gearing up for her arrival in Malta…
Port of Coruna
The Sea Watch and her crew pulled in to the Port of Coruna on the evening of Monday 18 May. The five on board are in good spirits but some poor sea conditions have affected the vessel’s progress. On current estimates the Sea Watch will arrive in Malta on or around the 9 June. But as those…
European Commission unveil plans for an EU refugee quota system
In a week that saw the European Commission unveil plans for an EU wide refugee quota system, migration in the Mediterranean continues to divide opinion among Member States. With this in mind it is fitting that we remind ourselves that, contrary to some politicians’ assertions, under certain circumstances access to international protection is not a…
Port of Brest
The Sea-Watch is currently moored at the Port of Brest where she is refuelling and taking on more supplies. The crew are all well and in high spirits despite the slight delay to the schedule.
HRAS-SeaWatch Rescue Blog 