Project Sea-Watch: No longer stand by and watch people die in the Mediterranean

dossier

“… Every month people die trying to cross the Mediterranean. European politics is doing little to prevent this. On the contrary: drowned refugees are accepted with approval because deterrence is politically desired. With a private ship in the sea area between Malta and the Libyan coast, we want to do something practical to counteract this untenable situation. The MS Sea-watch will provide first aid to refugee boats in distress and demand and force rescue by the responsible institutions. We want to hold the official bodies in Europe accountable by reporting news from the sea live over the Internet and by telephone. Our resources are limited, but we can make an impact...“Sea-Watch project presentation . For more information on the current situation, see the dossier:Italian refugee policyand here about the project:

• The Bremen school supervisory authority forbids a teacher from wearing a Sea Watch shirt, and the principal bans the teaching staff from discussing it 
  • “If a teacher is banned from wearing a Sea Watch shirt, we all wear it“: “Sea Rescue Weeks” campaign by Sea-Watch, GEW Bremen and GEW Hessen
    • GEW-Bremen, GEW Hessen and Sea-Watch launch a joint campaign “Sea Rescue Weeks”
      “The union and the sea rescue organization are jointly setting an example for solidarity, human rights and a democratic attitude in schools:The GEW Bremen, GEW Hessen and the Sea-Watch organization are launching a joint campaign under the motto “Sea Rescue Weeks”. This is intended to raise awareness for civilian sea rescue in the Mediterranean. At the same time, the organizations make it clear that democratic engagement by employees in the education sector must not be intimidated or prevented. The starting point of the campaign is an incident in Bremen: a teacher was banned from wearing a Sea-Watch T-shirt at school. This incident is part of a debate about the supposed neutrality that teachers should adopt towards controversial political topics - with the aim of preventing critical educational processes or discrediting democratic engagement…”Report from November 6th, 2026 from Sea-Watch and therethe shirt for the campaign 
    • Information about the “Sea Rescue Weeks” campaign, film screenings and registration can be found at:https://deine.gew.app/wochen-der-seenotrettung
    • Sea-Watch, GEW Bremen and GEW Hessen launch a joint campaign “Sea Rescue Weeks”
      “The union and sea rescue organization are setting an example for solidarity, human rights and democratic attitudes in schools
      Frankfurt: The GEW Bremen, GEW Hessen and the Sea-Watch organization are launching a joint campaign under the motto “Sea Rescue Weeks”. This is intended to raise awareness for civilian sea rescue in the Mediterranean. At the same time, the organizations make it clear that democratic engagement by employees in the education sector must not be intimidated or prevented. (…) Ramona Seeger, state board spokeswoman for the GEW Bremen, explains at the start of the campaign: "The alleged neutrality requirement must not become a muzzle for teachers and other employees in the education system. Anyone who advocates for human rights, democracy and solidarity acts within the current laws and decrees. The colleagues assume social responsibility. We will not allow democratic commitment to be prevented by a misunderstood concept of neutrality. If a teacher is forbidden to wear one Sea Watch shirts are banned, we all wear them“…”Press release from November 6th, 2026 from GEW Bremen and the same namePress release from November 6th, 2026 from GEW Hessen 
  • Schools are not neutral spaces!
    “At a school in Bremen, a teacher was banned from wearing a T-shirt with a political statement. The GEW criticizes the T-shirt ban and demands clarification from the school supervision on the alleged neutrality requirement. (…) The Bremen state constitution (Article 26) and the Bremen School Act (§ 5) state that schools should educate people to be willing to take on political and social responsibility and to exercise critical solidarity. Students should learn to use information critically, to orient themselves independently towards values ​​and to act accordingly. “What is controversial in science and politics must also appear controversial in teaching,” says the Hülsesbach Consensus.
    Against this background, a recent incident at a school in Bremen is extremely irritating. The management of a school in Bremen banned a teacher from wearing a T-shirt with the print 'Anti-Fascist Sea Rescue' after a complaint from a person outside of the school. The headteacher was then advised by the school inspectorate that staff “should not wear any clothing with political messages or slogans that are likely to cause controversy in the school environment or affect school peace” while on duty. In a letter, the school inspectorate referred to an alleged neutrality requirement in schools. At the general conference, the headmaster read out this letter and forbade the staff from further discussion of the topic. This directive is deeply undemocratic and worrying. Discussions about political issues are the basis and expression of a democratic self-image.
    The GEW is calling on the school management to withdraw the ban on discussions for the staff of the Paul Goldschmidt School, as well as for clarification regarding the neutrality requirement in schools claimed by the school supervision. (…) The GEW expresses its solidarity with the affected colleague at the school and welcomes the solidarity of the staff.”Press release from GEW Bremen from July 2nd, 2026 
  • Teacher must leave his t-shirt at home: Schools are not neutral places
    “The Bremen school supervisory authority prohibits a teacher from wearing a sea rescue shirt. This is followed by a muzzle for the college. That's not how it works.
    Someone had seen the teacher's T-shirt and taken offense at it: a stylized ship, in black and red on a white background - it said "Anti-Fascist Sea Rescue". According to the teachers' union GEW, "a person from outside the school" complained about this to the Paul Goldschmidt special school in Bremen. The teacher was banned from wearing his T-shirt to school. The Bremen school supervisory authority wrote a letter about the case: The staff should not wear “any clothing with political messages or slogans” while on duty, at least not any that are “suitable to cause controversy in the school environment or to impair school peace.” After all, there is a requirement of neutrality in schools.
    The principal quoted the letter from the school supervisory authority at a general conference and then prohibited the staff from further discussing the issue, as the GEW writes. Not that anyone is causing controversy in the school environment. (…) A demonstrative political message on a T-shirt does not provide the required space for discourse, but is rather a form of indoctrination by the teacher, believes [Education Senator] Rackles. The slogan on the shirt in question contains the statement that EU policy is fascist, “which is more than doubtful in terms of classification,” the senator is quoted in the Weser-Kurier.
    But the T-shirt just says “Antifascist Sea Rescue”, nothing else. At best, one can conclude from the two words that there are probably several sea rescues and that at least one of them is anti-fascist. Perhaps, in the context of the T-shirt, one can still draw the heuristic conclusion that the wearer somehow finds “anti-fascist sea rescue” good. But: that was it. The association of a fascist EU arises in Rackles’ head, and of course not entirely without context and reason. But you can't blame the sad world situation on the pretty shirt.
    “The debate would probably be different in the college if right-wing populist or right-wing extremist slogans were displayed,” said Rackles to the Weser-Kurier. And for pretty good reasons, one might add. We can discuss this in the schoolyard – if school peace allows it.”Comment by Lotta Drügemöller from July 13, 2026 in the taz online 
  • See also our dossier for background information:Political education in school and science - under the supposed requirement of neutrality
• The extreme right is launching a smear campaign against Sea-Watch as a “smuggling mafia” using a leaked Frontex video.
  • Leaked Frontex video: How right-wing media are inciting against Sea-Watch
    “The CDU and Springer suggest that the sea rescue NGO is working together with smugglers. Sea-Watch rejects the allegations – and provides details.
    Collaboration with the “smuggling mafia”, a Frontex video and a possible decade-long prison sentence for the Dutch sea rescue captain Anne van Dam: Since Monday, reports have been circulating about an alleged scandal at the center of which is said to be the NGO Sea-Watch. She rejects the allegations and speaks of a “right-wing extremist slander campaign”. There is “neither a relationship nor any form of communication or arrangement” with the Libyan smugglers, Sea-Watch said in a statement to the taz…”Article by Christian Jakob from July 24th, 2026 in the taz online 
  • The far right is making saving human lives the subject of a smear campaign
    “On May 11, the crew of the Sea-Watch 5 rescued people in distress on a boat in international waters and brought them to safety. The authorities were informed about every step. A currently ongoing smear campaign by the extreme right wants to mislead the public about this. (…)
    Now right-wing media like the Bild newspaper and politicians like AfD leader Alice Weidel are spreading false claims about Sea-Watch's rescue operation, relying on a video recorded by a Frontex plane. The material, which is in the possession of the Italian authorities and is subject to official secrecy during the ongoing investigation, is edited in a suggestive manner. However, what can be seen on the video has never been kept secret: Sea-Watch shared every detail of the rescue operation with the authorities. The actual crime occurred after the rescue and was not filmed by Frontex: the crew of the Sea-Watch 5 and the people they had just rescued came under fire from the so-called Libyan Coast Guard…”Press release from July 16, 2026 from sea-watch.org 
  • According to the script of “Iuventa”: Right-wing campaign against “Sea Watch 5”
    “In August 2017, Italian authorities detained the civilian rescue ship “Iuventa” belonging to the Berlin association “Jugend Rettet” in Lampedusa. Based on bugs on the bridge, intercepted telephone conversations and informers, the public prosecutor's office accused the crew of aiding and abetting illegal immigration: They are said to have colluded with Libyan smugglers and, after a rescue, gave them a boat of refugees. Seven years later, a court acquitted the defendants on all counts and found that they had fulfilled their duty to rescue at sea. According to the same script, conservative and right-wing media are now knitting a campaign against the rescue ship "Sea-Watch 5" belonging to the German non-governmental organization of the same name: Last Thursday, the French daily newspaper "Le Figaro" and the Italian newspaper "Il Giornale" published a video that comes from a surveillance plane belonging to the EU border agency Frontex. The photo from May 11 shows how two orange rescue boats from the “Sea-Watch 5” take 90 migrants from a double-decker boat with two powerful outboard motors in five shuttle trips. There were also five masked men dressed in paramilitary clothing…”Article by Matthias Monroy from July 22nd, 2026 in ND online 
  • See the incident at that time in the dossier:Absurd EU-Libya deal: Rescue missions in the Mediterranean are coordinated by Libyan smugglers – mass graves in the desert as the price?
• After Italy refused a safe harbor in violation of international law, Sea-Watch 5 declared a state of emergency - and asked for donations
  "After rescuing 93 people in distress in international waters on Sunday, March 15, the rescue ship Sea-Watch 5 must declare a state of emergency in view of the acute medical emergency and Italy's refusal of a safe port in violation of international law. In this situation, calling at a port is the only way to protect the fundamental right to life (Art. 2 ECHR) of the 57 survivors and to avert a further escalation of the health crisis on board. After the evacuation of 36 survivors to Italy - including a two-year-old child in life-threatening condition and 23 minors and their families - the Italian authorities have blocked the rescue ship Sea-Watch 5 off Sicily since Monday. They had assigned the rescue ship to the port of Marina di Carrara in northern Italy and would require a journey lasting several days. But the long distance makes it too dangerous for those rescued to continue the crossing. Yesterday the ship's crew refused the instructions of the Italian authorities. The survivors suffer from seasickness, exhaustion and fuel burns, which must be treated under appropriate clinical conditions to prevent infections and, in the worst case, sepsis. Several patients are receiving medical care for asthma and febrile respiratory infections. Yesterday the juvenile court in Palermo ruled that all minors and their families must be disembarked at the nearest Italian port.Despite the deteriorating conditions, the special need for protection of the people on board and the court decision, the Italian authorities stuck to the assignment of the distant port for hours until they finally evacuated 27 people from the ship that evening. Chiara Milanese, operations manager of Sea-Watch 5: "Behind the blockade of Sea-Watch 5 there are real fates: people with severe fuel burns, at sea for almost a week, who are being refused help. When states break maritime law to prevent help, the only path left to us is resistance. The 57 survivors on board have a right to protection and medical care - now."..." Press release dated March 18, 2026 from Sea-Watch 
  • “Sea-Watch 5” sails to Sicily and thus snubs Rome. Despite meter-high waves and emergencies on board, the rescue ship was supposed to travel to northern Italy
    “The German rescue ship "Sea-Watch 5" headed for the port of Trapani in Sicily on Wednesday, ignoring an instruction from the Italian authorities. They had ordered the ship to Marina di Carrara, a port in the far north of Italy, more than 1,100 kilometers away. Instead of this four-day trip, the “Sea-Watch 5” decided to call at Trapani, only 50 kilometers away. The trigger was a rescue operation on Sunday. The crew rescued 93 people, including pregnant women, children and unaccompanied minors, from distress in international waters in the central Mediterranean. That same evening, the Italian coast guard evacuated nine of the people - including a two-year-old child - and brought them ashore. The authorities then gave the “Sea-Watch 5” instructions to head north for those who remained…”Article by Matthias Monroy from March 19, 2026 in ND online 
  • As Sea-Watch announced by email on March 13th, the detention of the Sea-Watch 5, which was imposed at the end of January, was suspended by the civil court in Catania in an expedited procedure on March 18th, and in mid-February 2026 the Palermo civil court sentenced the Italian government to pay 76,000 euros in damages to Sea-Watch because of the illegal six-month detention of the Sea-Watch 3 and the arrest of captain Carola Rackete. However, as the latest press release shows, the Italian government's reprisals continue unabated. This is also why Sea-Watch asks for itDonate
• “Claim Asylum EU” project from Sea-Watch: An app for the right to asylum 
  “The “Claim Asylum EU” project aims to help people seeking protection in the European Union. This is necessary because the border authorities at the EU's external borders are breaking international law on a massive scale. (…) Nevertheless, people from countries like Greece, Croatia or Poland are being illegally deported back. A new support platform web appLeaveNoOneBehind is intended to uncover this practice and support those affected in the asylum process. We spoke to the developer Mareike Ippen, who also works for the non-governmental organization Sea-Watch. (…) Mareike Ippen: According to EU law, people on the run are allowed to apply for asylum when they first arrive in Europe. Only if these are rejected can they be expelled. The frightening reality, however, is that refugees are repeatedly illegally and brutally expelled from European border areas, for example from Poland to Belarus or from Greece to Turkey, without being able to apply for asylum beforehand - the so-called pushbacks. With the help of our web app, people who are still on the run can exercise their right to asylum immediately after setting foot on European soil, before they are deported. (…) It is intended to help people exercise their right to asylum. But it should also draw attention to the problem and human rights violations on the European side. By submitting an application, a kind of archive of pushbacks is created. (…) The GPS data is recorded via the browser on the refugees’ cell phones. Since a GPS position is relatively easy to falsify, we have added the additional option of uploading an image with a clearly identifiable reference point. The image can subsequently serve as proof that the person actually set foot on Greek soil, for example….”Interview by Matthias Monroy on October 17, 2022 in Netzpolitik 
• “Declaration of war on rights in Italy”: Sea-Watch buys new rescue ship. The new ship is better equipped, larger and can accommodate more rescued people 
  "The rescue organization Sea-Watch is acquiring another ship for use in the Mediterranean. The shift to the right in the parliamentary elections in Italy on Sunday paints a dystopian picture for civilian sea rescue, the organization explained on Monday. The election campaign of the alliance around the right-wing radical Giorgia Meloni was aimed at restricting migration. "We oppose the criminalization of migration and sea rescue through a party merger with neo-fascist roots," said Sea-Watch board member Johannes Bayer. The new ship is a declaration of war. It will be called “Sea-Watch 5” and, according to Sea-Watch, at 58 meters long and twelve years old, it is larger and more efficient than the organization's previous ships. (…) The “Sea-Watch 5” could accommodate even more rescued people and they could also receive better care there. With its technically perfect condition, it is also better equipped to counter criminalization and deterrence attempts. In the coming months it will be converted and prepared for its first use. To finance the new ship, Sea-Watch is being supported by numerous private individuals and by the United4Rescue alliance…” Report from September 27, 2022 at MiGAZIN 
  • See the message in the dossier on the current occasion:Italian refugee policy
• 400 people: Refugees leave the rescue ship “Sea-Watch 3” in Sicily 
  “More than 400 people rescued from distress at sea had to stay on board the “Sea-Watch 3” for days. Now they were allowed to disembark in Pozzallo on Sicily. Sea rescue workers are calling on the future federal government to make a U-turn in migration policy. The more than 400 refugees and migrants on board the “Sea-Watch 3” left the rescue ship in the port of Pozzallo in Sicily. The Sea Watch organization said on Twitter on Sunday that the people rescued from distress at sea had been brought safely to shore. Around half of the 406 people on board were able to leave the ship on Saturday, the rest followed on Sunday. (…) The rescue ship “Sea-Eye 4” set off on its third mission in Palermo after weeks of preparation, as the Regensburg sea rescue organization Sea-Eye announced on Saturday evening. The “Sea-Eye 4” is an alliance ship that is largely financed by the civil sea rescue alliance United4Rescue initiated by the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). It calls on the future federal government to make a U-turn in migration policy. In the past, private sea rescuers often had to wait for days to be assigned a safe port in Europe. (…) So far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 1,530 people have died or are missing in the Mediterranean.”Report from October 25th, 2021 at Migazin 
• Situation becoming increasingly dangerous: “Sea-Watch 3” calls for a safe haven for 406 rescued people 
  “Chemical burns, hardly any room to sleep: On the “Sea-Watch 3” more than 400 refugees rescued in the Mediterranean are waiting for a port to be assigned. Six rescued people have already been taken off board by the Italian coast guard. After another medical emergency on the “Sea-Watch 3”, the sea rescue workers called for a safe harbor for the 406 people on board on Thursday. The medical capacities on the ship are reaching their limits, said the doctor on board the “Sea-Watch 3”, Carolin Möhrke. People would need a place to disembark as quickly as possible. “Every day at sea the situation becomes more dangerous.” In the past, private sea rescuers often had to wait for days until a port was assigned to them. The crew of “Sea-Watch 3” rescued 412 people from distress off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean in seven rescue missions on Sunday and Monday. On Thursday night, a pregnant woman was brought ashore by the Italian Coast Guard due to medical complications (…) According to Sea Watch, among the 406 people remaining on board the rescue ship, more than 150 are minors or children. Many refugees and migrants suffered chemical burns caused by a mixture of gasoline and salt water…”Report from October 22nd, 2021 at Migazin 
• Sea-Watch 4 rescues 455 people from distress at sea in 6 missions 
  "... The crew of the Sea-Watch 4 has been working tirelessly since Friday evening and has carried out 6 rescue missions in just over 48 hours. After the Sea-Watch 4 was able to rescue a first maritime emergency on Thursday evening, over 250 people from 3 further maritime emergencies were brought to safety on board the Sea-Watch 4 the following day. Neither the Italian nor the Maltese authorities have complied with the subsequent request for the allocation of a safe port. Despite an already full deck and An exhausted crew rescued another 148 people from two overcrowded wooden boats last Saturday. One of the boats had been floating at sea for 3 days. Although it was in the Maltese search and rescue zone and the coordinates were known to the authorities, no rescue operation was initiated yesterday by Italian authorities due to the critical medical condition “Many of them are severely traumatized by their time in Libya. Some report how they have attempted to cross the Mediterranean several times, but were dragged back into the civil war country against their will...” Sea-Watch report from May 3, 2021 – see also our dossier:[Libya Deal] Absurd EU policy in the Mediterranean: rescue missions are to be coordinated by Libyan smugglers in the future
• Sea-Watch: Banksy finances ship to rescue refugees 
  “The street artist sponsored a sea rescue ship for the German organization Sea-Watch - and also painted it pink, with a heart-shaped lifebuoy. According to the aid organization Sea-Watch, the mysterious street artist Banksy is supporting a ship to rescue refugees in the Mediterranean. The German organization tweeted on Thursday: "A ship sponsored and painted by #Banksy, an experienced search and rescue team from all over Europe - the MV Louise Michel has already secured two Sea-Watch 4 missions and has now rescued 89 people herself. We are thrilled about the pink reinforcement!" The organization published a photo showing the pink ship - apparently painted by Banksy - that sails under the German flag. On one of theGuardian In the photo published on Thursday, an artwork can be seen on the ship showing a girl wearing a life jacket and a heart-shaped lifebuoy…”Agency report from August 28, 2020 in Zeit online – The captain of the “Louise Michel” (named after the anarchist) is the German Pia Klemp, the entire crew is feminist
• In its first mission, Sea-Watch 4 rescues over 200 people within 48 hours
  “The rescue ship Sea-Watch 4, which set out on its first mission on August 15th, rescued over 200 people from distress at sea within 48 hours. Due to the arbitrary appointment of civilian rescue workers by European states, the Sea-Watch 4 was the only active rescue ship to set off into the Mediterranean. This European blockade and isolation policy is deadly: Last week, dozens of people drowned while trying to escape off the Libyan coast. The sea rescue ship Sea-Watch 4 left the port of Burriana (Spain) on August 15th. The Sea-Watch 4 is currently operating in the central Mediterranean and is a joint project between United4Rescue, Sea-Watch and Doctors Without Borders. On August 22, the crew of Sea-Watch 4 was able to pick up seven people who had previously been in distress about 45 miles off the Libyan coast. The boat was first spotted by the ship Louise Michel, whose crew stabilized the situation and requested the help of the Sea-Watch 4 as a larger and better equipped ship…”Press release from August 24, 2020 
• Cast off - the Sea-Watch 4 starts its first rescue mission - currently the only rescue ship 
  “The sea rescue ship Sea-Watch 4 left the port of Burriana (Spain) on Saturday, August 15th, 2020 and is on its way to the search and rescue zone. The Sea-Watch 4 is currently the only rescue ship operating in the Mediterranean and is a joint project between United4Rescue, Sea-Watch and Doctors Without Borders. The purchase of the ship was made possible by the United4Rescue alliance in January 2020. After the necessary renovation work, which was significantly delayed by the corona pandemic, the Sea-Watch 4 was now able to leave the shipyard in Burriana, Spain, and is on its way to the area of ​​operation in international waters off Libya. The operation is operationally managed by Sea-Watch and medically supported by Doctors Without Borders. With Sea-Watch 4, a civil sea rescue mission is for the first time supported by a broad civil society alliance: over 550 alliance partners currently support United4Rescue. “The situation off the Libyan coast is still dramatic,” said Michael Schwickart from United4Rescue. “That’s why we’re happy that our ship is finally on its way to the operational area to rescue people in distress at sea.” There have been no civilian rescue workers in the search and rescue zone for over six weeks, and almost all active sea rescue ships have been detained in Italy due to alleged safety deficiencies or are prevented from operating due to unfulfillable conditions. In these six weeks alone, Sea-Watch's civilian reconnaissance aircraft documented over 1,500 people in distress in the central Mediterranean, and more than 3,500 people dared to make the dangerous crossing, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).In many of these cases, the people were brought back to Libya by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard in violation of international law…”Sea Watch report from August 15, 2020 
• “Instead of respecting human rights, Sea-Watch 3 is being blocked again on flimsy grounds.” 
  “On Thursday, the coast guard detained the refugee rescue ship “Seawatch 3” in Sicily. In the interview, Mattea Weihe [Sea Watch crew member] reports on the questionable circumstances (…) Late on Wednesday evening, officers from the Guardia Costiera came on board our ship and informed our crew that a routine inspection of the ship was taking place - a so-called port state control. A short time later, our team was informed that the Sea-Watch 3 was not allowed to sail. In official language this is called an administrative block, but that certainly leaves some room for speculation... (...) Well, the questionable thing was that three minutes, actually three minutes after the Italian officials had left our ship, the press office at the headquarters of the Italian Coast Guard issued an official press release via the largest Italian news agency ANSA, in which it was announced to the public that our ship was detained in the port, for officially technical reasons and that we were therefore no longer allowed to leave for the time being... (...) It is inhumane. It's not about safety at sea - it's about politics! They want to delay the departure of civilian sea rescue ships - and that is the actual political goal. (…) The big problem is: There are push-backs! Even on the high seas! There were a number of specific incidents, all of which we were not able to observe live, so to speak. The Maltese Coast Guard, for example, has asked fishing boats to bring rescued people back to Libya.(…) People no longer follow the rules - not in Malta, not in Libya, often and increasingly not in the EU either... In Europe and on the Mediterranean, there is no longer any applicable law regarding refugees. These people are left to fend for themselves – to the forces of the sea and the violence that physically befalls them…”Article by Marcel Malachowski from July 12, 2020 at telepolis , see also our dossier:Italian refugee policy
• Back in action: “Sea-Watch 3” saves 100 refugees in the Mediterranean 
  “The “Sea-Watch 3” rescued around 100 migrants from distress at sea 30 nautical miles off the Libyan coast – including women and minors. The rescue ship is in use again for the first time since the Corona shutdown. After a compulsory break of more than three months, the “Sea-Watch 3” rescued around 100 migrants from distress at sea almost 30 nautical miles off the Libyan coast, including women and minors. Several of those rescued received immediate medical help on board the rescue ship, Sea-Watch announced on Wednesday on the short message service Twitter. Meanwhile, a search plane belonging to the German aid organization discovered another boat in distress off the Libyan coast with around 70 people on board…”Report from June 18, 2020 at Migazin 
• The church alliance “United4Rescue” has acquired the Kiel research ship “Poseidon” for planned sea rescue in the Mediterranean through Sea-Watch 
  “A spokesman said the contract was awarded in the bidding process. “United4Rescue” had been collecting donations since December to purchase a ship suitable for rescue operations on the Mediterranean. The costs amounted to 1.5 million euros, it is said. The alliance therefore contributed 1.1 million euros. The Sea-Watch organization, which is supposed to operate the ship on behalf of the alliance, will pay the rest of the sum, it is said. Before the former research ship can set sail for its future purpose, modifications are necessary…”Report from February 1, 2020 on Deutschlandfunk 
• 23 dead off Greece. “Sea-Watch 3” rescues 119 refugees in the Mediterranean and accuses Malta of inaction
  “Even in winter, refugees from Libya try to reach Europe in rubber boats. Sea rescuers carried out three rescue missions in 24 hours and saved 119 refugees. For at least 23 people, any help came too late. The crew accuses the Maltese authorities of inaction. (…) The crew is now waiting for a “safe harbor” and is ready for other boats that get into distress, said the Sea-Watch aid organization in Berlin. New maritime emergencies have already been reported. At the same time, the Spanish rescue ship “Open Arms” reported picking up 44 men from a small boat who were suffering from severe hypothermia after two days at sea. The “Sea-Watch 3” crew said they witnessed the Libyan coast guard bringing more than 150 boat refugees back to Libya. The organization protested that the repatriation was illegal. The Libyan coast guard is supported by the EU and partly consists of militias. (…)Sea-Watch accused the Maltese authorities of inaction. On Friday night, their ship rescued 42 people, whose boat had already reached the Maltese search and rescue zone at that time. Although the maritime emergency had been known for hours, the Maltese authorities did not take any action…”Report from January 13th, 2020 at Migazin 
• Sea-Watch ship is free again 
  “German sea rescuers rejoice: their confiscated ship can set sail again and save migrants. It shows how difficult it is for Italy's Interior Minister Salvini to stop aid organizations. (…) “Fortunately, for the Italian judiciary, its own constitution counts more than a tweeting minister,” said Sea Watch spokesman Ruben Neugebauer to the German Press Agency, referring to Salvini. The ship was free because “it was determined that we complied with all laws.” The public prosecutor's office in Agrigento had opened an investigation against the Italian captain on charges of facilitating illegal immigration. It is still unclear what will happen to these investigations, said Neugebauer. “But we are convinced that he (the captain) did everything right and that there will be no proceedings.“…”dpa report from June 1st, 2019 at the FAZ online , see our backgroundDossier: Italian refugee policy

• Seawatch election spot from the PARTY: This is not a European election ad 
  “There had been a lot of discussion beforehand. First, ZDF refused to broadcast the election commercial from the satirical party Die PARTEI. Reason: This is not an election commercial. Because the PARTEI had decided to make its almost one and a half minutes of broadcasting time available to the sea rescue NGO Seawatch. But after she added a credits with the PARTEI logo, the spot was broadcast after all. And no, it is not a commercial for the EU. On the contrary. He brings the pictures into the living room that the alliance of states wants to avoid as much as possible. A boy fights against drowning underwater and tries to row to the surface with paddling movements. You hope in every second of the clip that he will make it. But unlike in Hollywood, there is no happy ending for him. He drowns in front of the shocked spectators. This is violent, but it is close to the current situation in the Mediterranean: there are almost no rescuers left there. And the EU bears a devastating debt…”Comment by Alina Leimbach from May 9th, 2019 at ND online andthe election spot as a video on YouTube

• Sea-Watch wins in court in The Hague: Sea-Watch 3 has been wrongly prevented from sailing since the beginning of April 
  “The Dutch state has wrongly prevented the Sea-Watch 3 from sailing since the beginning of April - this was the conclusion reached today by a court in The Hague, which was responsible for assessing our urgent application against the arrest of the ship. The ruling confirms the political motivation behind the Dutch government's new regulation, which provided the basis for the blockade and Sea-Watch was the only NGO not to grant a transition period. The Sea-Watch 3 will resume its search and rescue mission as soon as possible. (…) With the announcement of the verdict, work began on getting the ship fit for use again. Our goal is to return to the SAR zone off the Libyan coast as quickly as possible. This is also sorely necessary: ​​currently only one civilian sea rescue ship is active in the SAR zone - while one in ten people dies trying to escape across the Mediterranean. It's high time for the Sea-Watch 3 to be on the road again.“Press release from May 7, 2019

• Dutch government blocks Sea-Watch 3 and other NGO ships with new regulation, citing “safety” as reason while people drown 
  "Today a new regulation from the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management comes into force, which has serious implications for Sea-Watch and other NGOs operating ships under the Dutch flag. The regulation, introduced hastily and without a transition period for Sea-Watch, shows that the Dutch government is prepared to abuse its powers as part of a coordinated approach to rescue operations in the Mediterranean and to prevent civil society actors from their operations - a strategy that other EU Member States are also pursuing. From Sea-Watch through the Internal communications between the Dutch ministries revealed by the Freedom of Information Act show that safety concerns were never the driving force for the new regulation, but rather its sole aim is to hinder search and rescue operations (…) While the Dutch government is not yet in a position to tell us specifically what technical requirements would have to be created in order to meet the requirements of the regulation and maintain legal certainty for our missions, Sea-Watch is still able and willing to guarantee safety on board and, if necessary, further certification processes However, Sea-Watch calls on the Dutch government to use the proper procedures for a comprehensive change in the law for ships in our classification. It is extremely worrying that new guidelines that are not even clearly defined have been imposed on Sea-Watch and other NGOs with immediate effect.There is no guarantee that the Department will not arbitrarily impose further changes in this way in the future. Sea-Watch therefore questions the legitimacy of this process and denounces the underlying motives of the Dutch state. Apparently sea rescuers are supposed to drown in technical and bureaucratic superficialities while people continue to drown in the Mediterranean?” Report from April 2, 2019 by and at Sea-Watch.org

• Finally: Sea-Watch 3 leaves Italy after a 3-week blockade 
  “…Once again, a nerve-wracking struggle with EU states will only come to an end after several weeks. Today the Sea-Watch 3 was finally allowed to leave the port of Catania. Italian authorities prevented our rescue ship from leaving port for 22 days. This was preceded by an eleven-day odyssey with 47 survivors of a boat accident. This was followed by an unconditional attempt by the Italian authorities to find reasons to arrest our ship. Although the local public prosecutor's office made it clear that the crew had acted in full accordance with the law during the rescue, we were hit with a ridiculous barrage of controls and investigations. Our First Officer Friedhold summarizes: "Five different Italian and Dutch authorities inspected the ship for around 80 hours - two weeks before a scheduled shipyard stay. However, the crew dealt with all relevant points within two weeks. The authorities have no reason to keep us here any longer." After threatening urgent proceedings against the arrest, the Dutch authorities finally allowed the ship to be transferred to a Marseille shipyard two minutes before the deadline on Wednesday, where routine work would be carried out…”Info from February 22, 2019

• Investigations in Italy: No wrongdoing by Sea Watch 
  “The Italian judiciary has come to the conclusion that the rescue of 47 refugees from distress at sea by the organization “Sea Watch” was in accordance with the law. Interior Minister Salvini had accused the organization of not bringing people to nearby Tunisia. Instead, the ship sailed to Italy during a storm. Investigators have now made it clear that the weather was still good when the “Sea Watch 3” set off towards Lampedusa. On the other hand, if the captain had sailed to Tunisia, he would have headed towards the storm. However, the Italian public prosecutor's office has concerns that the ship is seaworthy…”Report from February 2, 2019 on Deutschlandfunk

• While Italy blocks the Sea-Watch 3 in the port of Catania, the criminalization of sea rescue is leading to record deaths, according to the UN
  “Sea-Watch learned today from the media that our ship Sea-Watch 3, which landed 47 people in Catania yesterday after a 10-day odyssey, is blocked in Catania. The blockade of the last remaining rescue ship in the Mediterranean comes just days after the United Nations identified the criminalization of sea rescue as a reason for the record death rate in the Mediterranean. The reasons cited by the Italian Coast Guard are reportedly “technical irregularities,” but the Coast Guard was under intense pressure to find a reason for blocking the ship. This is a clear political move to prevent the Sea-Watch 3 from sailing using fabricated, alleged irregularities…”Sea Watch report from February 1, 2019 – Support him nowLegal aid fund for Sea-Watch activists

• Agreement on admission: “Sea Watch” refugees are allowed on land 
  “The people on the “Sea-Watch 3” are allowed to leave the blocked rescue ship after almost two weeks. Several EU countries agreed to accept it. The fundamental dispute has not been resolved. The migrants on board the blocked rescue ship belonging to the German aid organization Sea-Watch are allowed to land after almost two weeks. Seven EU countries have agreed to accept migrants, said Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. “Luxembourg has joined the list of friendly countries that have responded to our invitation (to host the migrants).” According to Conte, the migrants can begin to disembark in the coming hours. In addition to Luxembourg, Italy, Germany, Malta, Romania, Portugal and France have agreed to accept refugees from the ship. (…) “Questions of distribution must be clarified on land, and even if there should be a solution now, it remains a moral and political declaration of bankruptcy on the part of the EU states,” said Sea Watch spokesman Ruben Neugebauer. There are also 13 minors and 22 crew members on board. The hygienic conditions have deteriorated enormously in the past few days. The ship's crew reported health problems among the migrants…”Agency report from January 30, 2019 at Spiegel online

• European Court of Human Rights orders interim measure against Italy – 47 people on Sea-Watch 3 need a solution 
  “After a complaint from survivors and crew members of the rescue ship Sea-Watch 3, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found a violation of fundamental rights and ordered an interim measure. On the 11th day of the illegal blockade off Siracusa, Italy, Sea-Watch recognizes the ruling, but must insist: interim measures are not enough, what is needed is a solution. The ECtHR called on the Italian government "to take all necessary measures as soon as possible to ensure adequate medical care, food, water and basic services for all applicants. As regards the 15 unaccompanied minors, the government is requested to provide appropriate legal assistance (e.g. legal guardianship)." (…) “The hope for rescue has given way to total depression and despair,” says Dr. Frank Dörner, ship's doctor of the Sea-Watch 3. "Some people have stopped eating, have completely withdrawn into themselves, others are becoming emotionally unstable. We had to resort to the use of sedatives for some, but we can only treat this inadequately here on board. Some people are so traumatized and depressed that we fear suicidal tendencies - we don't know how long we will be able to cope with the situation. The psycho-physiological situation of people is tied to the place, where they are stuck and from which they cannot escape.The interim measures have been exhausted, we need a safe haven.” "We welcome the decision from Strasbourg as it shows that the court finds a violation of fundamental rights through the blocking of Sea-Watch 3," says Johannes Bayer, Chairman of Sea-Watch. "But that is not enough: the ECHR demands bread and water. We demand an end to this political hostage-taking.”“Sea-Watch press release from January 30, 2019 - thetaz reported on this on January 30th.: “…Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini emphasized on Tuesday that those rescued could only go ashore in Italy if they were then taken in by Germany or the Netherlands. The “Sea-Watch 3” sails under the Dutch flag. (…) Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Conte said, according to the Ansa news agency, that five countries were willing to accept the migrants: Germany, Malta, France, Portugal and Romania…”

• Beacon of solidarity in Siracusa, cynicism from Rome: Sea-Watch 3 invited to Siracusa, but prevented by the government 
  "Seven days after rescuing 47 shipwrecks off the Libyan coast, the last remaining rescue ship in the central Mediterranean is now blocked off the coast of Sicily, despite various cities offering a safe haven. On Thursday, the mayor of the Italian city of Siracusa, Francesco Italia, in collaboration with local civil society, declared the city's port open and asked the relevant authorities to allow the entry of the Sea-Watch 3. However, the government, whose interior minister has already been accused of kidnapping, Abuse of authority and violation of the SAR Convention is being investigated in a similar case, is currently banning people from leaving the ship (…) "This could have been a bright day for European solidarity after a very dark week. At least 170 people were missing - unconfirmed reports from Libya say many more. Another 250 were violently attacked by the EU-funded so-called Libyan Coast Guard and two merchant ships in violation of the Geneva Refugee Convention towed back," says Johannes Bayer, chairman of Sea-Watch, about the invitation to Siracusa. "We are grateful to the city of Siracusa and its citizens for this great sign of solidarity. Our thanks also go to Palermo, Naples, Barcelona, Berlin and all other cities that have declared themselves open ports and cities of solidarity. This is the Europe we want to live in, a Europe of solidarity," says Bayer. "But human rights in Europe today apparently only apply to people under 18 years," says Johannes Bayer, referring to the proposal to only allow the 13 unaccompanied minors to land..." Report from January 26, 2019 from and at Sea-Watch.org

• Sea rescue in the Mediterranean: The Sea Watch 3 cannot find a port 
  “Since the beginning of the year, 210 people have drowned in the Mediterranean. At this point we will continue to report on the deployment of civilian helpers in the future…”Ticker from Sebastian Leber at Tagesspiegel online , latest news:
  • “Thursday, January 24th:The storm over the Mediterranean has now reached wind speeds of 110 kilometers per hour. The Sea-Watch has headed north and is seeking shelter near the coast and is now 40 kilometers east of Sicily. You can drive the shiptrack here in real time . Ruben Neugebauer, spokesman for Sea-Watch, assesses the impending end of the EU Mission Sophia on Deutschlandfunk and reports fromMerchant ships that refuse to rescue in an emergency …”

• [Petition] Sea rescue is non-negotiable - Open the ports for the Sea-Watch 3! 
  “My name is Anne, I'm currently on board the Sea-Watch 3. Barely two weeks after the end of the last odyssey, the EU is allowing our ship to run aground again in the Mediterranean. On board: 47 people who we met on January 19th. rescued from distress at sea. Since then, we have been waiting for instructions from the authorities to fulfill their obligation and assign the ship a safe port.   The closure of the ports is already having fatal consequences: more and more merchant ships are breaking international law and bringing refugees rescued from distress at sea back to Libya - a violation of the Geneva Refugee Convention. In some cases they no longer fulfill their obligation under maritime law to rescue shipwrecked people. (…) Over 35 German and Italian cities – including Berlin, Naples, Palermo and Hamburg – have already signaled their willingness to accept. Sea rescue must never be dependent on EU negotiations; distribution issues must be clarified on land. We call on the European Commission to put an end to the undignified bargaining with people once and for all. Immediately assign a safe port to the 47 survivors on the Sea-Watch 3 and ensure that a safe port is assigned immediately and without delay in future cases!“Petition to the European Commission from Anne von Sea-Watch e.V. at change.org , see backgroundNobody helps – 170 migrants drown off the coast of Libya

• Christmas at sea: 344 people rescued within 24 hours - no safe harbor for those rescued on the Sea-Watch 3 
  “Since Friday, 344 people have been rescued within 24 hours by the fleet of the #United4med alliance, of which Sea-Watch is also a member. While the Open Arms is on its way to Spain with 311 people on board, the Sea-Watch 3 is still being denied a safe port. A solution would be possible without any problems; more than 30 cities and several federal states in Germany alone have agreed to take in people rescued from distress at sea. Sea-Watch is calling on the federal government to find a solution before Christmas. Anyone who relies on Christian values ​​now has a duty. The Sea-Watch 3 was able to save 33 people from drowning on Saturday, including several children. They are now safely on board the Sea-Watch 3, where they are receiving medical care. Less than 24 hours earlier, the Spanish Open Arms had already taken in over 300 shipwrecked people. (…) Those rescued are now threatened with having to spend Christmas Eve on the Mediterranean, as no European state is yet prepared to take these people in. The Sea-Watch 3, together with the search aircraft Moonbird and Colibri, as well as the Spanish Open Arms and the German Sea-Eye 2, is currently one of the only civilian rescue vehicles on the Mediterranean. (…) More than 30 cities and several federal states have declared themselves safe havens in Germany; the federal government must now live up to its European responsibilities. A solution would be possible if Federal Interior Minister Seehofer agreed to a quota in accordance with Section 23 of the Residence Act...”Sea Watch report from December 23, 2018
  • Emergency situation on rescue ships: After weeks of wandering – Malta lets 49 migrants ashore 
    “According to the local government, the 49 refugees on board the two German aid ships off the coast of Malta are allowed to go ashore. “An ad hoc agreement has been reached,” said Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. The migrants are to be distributed across Germany and seven other European countries. However, the rescue ships would have to leave Maltese waters “immediately” after the migrants have been transferred. (…) In return for the opening of the port in Valletta, the Maltese government had demanded the distribution of 249 migrants already in Malta, whom the local coast guard had rescued at the end of December. According to Muscat, of the now total of 298 migrants, 176 are being accepted by Germany, France, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Italy. 78 can therefore stay in Malta. 44 people from Bangladesh are to be sent back to their home country…”Report from January 9, 2019 at Spiegel online
  • Cruel test in refugee policy: Italy has closed its ports, Germany sets conditions - helpers speak of “moral decay” 
    “The refugee drama involving 49 migrants on two German ships in the Mediterranean off Malta is becoming a test for the EU. Italy has closed its ports, Germany is setting conditions - aid workers speak of “moral decay”. The EU Commission appealed to the 28 member states to show solidarity and take in those in need. “We urgently need a sustainable solution for the refugees in the Mediterranean,” said a spokesman for Commission President Juncker. The EU states would have to show “more solidarity” and also agree on the controversial issue of the distribution of refugees. EU Migration Commissioner Avramapoulos has been trying to find a solution for days - without success. On Monday evening, the 28 EU ambassadors in Brussels failed in their attempt to find a solution…”Post from January 8, 2019 by Eric Bonse at LostInEU
  • Sea-Eye continues to be blocked - follow-up mission must be canceled
  • Refugee rescuer: Situation on blocked ships critical. Around 50 refugees have been waiting on two aid ships off Malta for days 
    “The situation on the two blocked rescue ships belonging to German aid organizations for refugees in the Mediterranean continues to deteriorate. "The ship's drinking and industrial water supplies are now being strictly rationed," the Sea-Eye organization said early on Monday morning. The 17 rescued people on board the “Professor Albrecht Penck” had been sleeping in the infirmary for more than a week; they only shared one toilet. There are no mattresses or a change of clothes. The situation on the Sea-Watch organization's boat with 32 rescued people also says the situation is critical. The Sea-Watch and Sea-Eye ships are off the Maltese coast, but they are not allowed to dock there. Malta and Italy did not budge from their line and continued to deny entry into their ports. (…) The on-board doctor of the “Sea Watch 3”, Frank Dörner, said: “The situation here on board is becoming more and more unstable.” The stress level is increasing. People are traumatized, along with seasickness and uncertainty, says Dörner. "So it's a very catastrophic situation." Sea Eye board member Jan Ribbeck said: "If this continues, then we will soon have to ask Malta for support and to replenish our supplies. Our fuel supplies are also finite.” The limits of resilience have long been exceeded for the 18 crew members of the “Professor Albrecht Penck”.…”Agency report from January 7th, 2019 at ND online
  • Rebellious mayor of Naples wants to take in refugees – against the wishes of the Italian interior minister [also the mayor of Palermo] 
    “…From this place, Magistris announced via video message his rebellion against perhaps the most powerful politician in Italy at the moment. Naples is ready to defy Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and allow a ship belonging to the aid organization Sea-Watch to enter its port. Shortly before Christmas, the crew picked up 32 refugees from a wooden boat that had gotten into distress. Both Italy and Malta refused to take the people ashore. Mayor Magistris accused Salvini of playing with people's lives with this attitude. "Abandoning people and children amid cold and stormy seas is not only indecent, immoral and horrific, it is also a crime," Magistris said. And acted. "Concern for the condition of the people you have taken from the sea impels me, on behalf of the city of Naples, to invite them to turn their bows towards our port," he wrote in his letter to the crew of the rescue ship. "Should Minister Salvini's presumptions mean that they cannot enter the harbor, 20 boats will be ready to bring the people into the city and thus to safety," he continued, sounding military-like: "I will be the first to lead the rescue."..”Article by Fabian Hillebrand from January 5th, 2019 at ND online
  • Shipwrecked in the Mediterranean: Marburg offers safe haven for 32 refugees [and about 30 others] 
    “Around 30 German cities and several federal states have agreed to take in the 32 shipwrecked refugees who the ship “Sea Watch 3” saved from drowning in the Mediterranean shortly before Christmas