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Tomislav Medak 2020-10-06 09:09:58 +00:00
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# Sea rescue
[Sea-Watch](https://sea-watch.org/en/) is a civilian search and rescue initiative helping migrants survive arguably the deadliest migration route in the world — the short stretch of the Mediterranean Sea leading from Northern Africa to South Europe. Since 2014 over 600,000 migrants have made the passage, and it is estimated that over 15,000 have perished in shipwrecks.
[Sea-Watch](https://sea-watch.org/en/) is a civilian search and rescue organisation helping migrants survive arguably the deadliest migration route in the world — the short stretch of the Mediterranean Sea leading from Northern Africa to South Europe. Since 2014 over 600,000 migrants have made the passage, yet over 16,000 have been confirmed to have perished in shipwrecks.
The Sea-Watch grew out of an initiative of volunteers who could no longer stand by watching as people were drowning. In late 2014 they banded together to acquire a 20m sea cutter and in May of 2015 the Sea-Watch I was in Lampedusa to start its first mission — helping in the Euorpean Union-coordinated sea rescue operations by conducting search for boats in distress and navigating larger ships to take people on board and bring them to a safety in European ports.
The Sea-Watch grew out of an initiative of volunteers who could no longer stand by watching as people were drowning. In late 2014 they banded together to acquire a 20m sea cutter and in May of 2015 the Sea-Watch I was in Lampedusa to start its first mission — pushing the Euorpean Union-coordinated sea rescue operations by conducting search for boats in distress and navigating larger ships to take people on board and bring them to a safety in European ports.
{{< figure src="/images/seawatch.jpeg" width="100%" title="Figure 1. Sea-Watch 4. Photo: Crhis Grodotzki/Sea-Watch" >}}
# Externalisation of EU borders
Earlier in the decade, the EU was committed to helping migrants to making it to safety. Only in 2014, the Italian-led Mare Nostrum operation brought at least 150,000 migrants to Europe. However, with the refugee crisis of 2016, the EU made an about-turn, rescinding its obligations under the Geneva Convention, Charter of Fundamental Rights of European Union and other human rights norms to strike a deal with Turkey to hold back refugees.
Earlier in the decade, after a series of major shipwrecks, EU-states, especially Italy, temporarily committed itself to prevent further loss of life at their southern border. Only in 2014, the Italian-led Mare Nostrum operation brought at least 150,000 migrants to Europe. However, with the so-called refugee crisis of 2016, the EU made an about-turn, rescinding its obligations under the Geneva Refugee Convention, Charter of Fundamental Rights of European Union and other human rights norms to strike a deal with Turkey to hold back refugees.
In early 2017 this lead to an increase in crossings in the Central Mediterranean. Set on keeping the refugees outside its borders at any cost, the EU tasked the paramilitary Libyan Coast Guard to conduct search and rescue operations and bring the migrants back to Libya, where they face inhumane conditions, detention and persecution. While the externalisation of EU borders to Libya has significantly reduced the number of crossings, the dangerous actions of the Libyan Coast Guard amounting to violent pushback have, in equal measure, increased the rate of deaths.
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# Present operations
The civilian sea and rescue organisations are [estimated to have saved 100,000 lives since 2014](https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/The-CMR-The-deadliest-migration-route.pdf). Sea-Watch and Doctors Without Borders are the only NGOs still resisting EU's clamp-down. Currently, Sea-Watch operates a 55m Sea-Watch 3 and jointly with Doctors without Borders a 60m Sea-Watch 4, as well as two reconnaissance planes Moonbird and Seabird. It's sister organisation operats a 31m speed boat Louise Michel.
The civilian sea and rescue organisations are [estimated to have saved 100,000 lives since 2014](https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/The-CMR-The-deadliest-migration-route.pdf). Where in 2016 there where up to 13 ships constantly operated a variety of civil society actors, Sea-Watch is now one of only 6 NGOs still resisting EU’s clamp-down – with all of their ships more often detained in port than in action. Currently, Sea-Watch operates the 55m Sea-Watch 3, the 60m Sea-Watch 4 in cooperation with Doctors without Borders and two reconnaissance planes Moonbird and Seabird. Just lately an autonomous search and rescue group, significantly comprised of Sea-Watch activists and funded by British street artist Banksy, launched the 31m fast patrol boat Louise Michel.
Sea-Watch considers its mission only a patch applied against a symptom, whereas the real solution is political — securing a safe passage for all migrants.