Following on from my recent introductory piece about the Sea Watch project, I thought it apposite to briefly address the basis in law upon which the Sea Watch and other vessels sailing in the Mediterranean render assistance to those in distress at sea, and, more to the point, the migrants attempting the crossing between North…

In recent weeks over 30,000 migrants have attempted to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Lampedusa, Italy. Of that number over 1200 deaths have been reported as a result of overcrowded vessels capsizing under the sheer weight of the passengers on board. Often fleeing persecution and conflict ridden environments, with the advent of fairer sea…