AWO International has been supporting the civil sea rescue organisation SOS Humanity since 2016. Thanks to their efforts, 37,109 people have been saved in the Mediterranean, including many children. Humanity 1, SOS Humanity's new rescue ship, set sail on 27 August 2022 and has since provided a place of safety for many people seeking protection. The sea rescue organisation has set itself 4 main objectives:
- Save lives
- Protect and accompany refugees with dignity
- To bear witness to the situation and human rights violations in the Mediterranean
- To lobby and mobilise civil society
In short, SOS Humanity's motto is 'save, protect, witness and change'.
This is also urgently needed: the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reports that in 2023 the highest number of people have died while fleeing across the Mediterranean since 2017. The IOM says at least 3,129 people have died or gone missing on the world's deadliest maritime escape route. Existing rescue capacities are far from adequate.
Since 2017, the responsibility for protecting refugees in the Mediterranean has fallen on civil society organisations, as there is no coordinated European sea rescue operation. While AWO International and SOS Humanity are campaigning for a humane Europe, civilian sea rescue is being obstructed by EU member states and state actors such as Frontex.
Support with your donation:
- Search and rescue coordinator for 1 year: Did you know? Search and Rescue Coordinators assess emergencies and coordinate operations on board the speedboats. They guide survivors to the mother ship and provide post-rescue support.
- Rescue boat operator (RHIB) for 1 year: Did you know? SOS Humanity uses rescue boats (RHIBs) in its rescue operations. These speedboats search the water for survivors and bring them safely on board the Humanity 1.
- Search and rescue equipment: Did you know? Equipment such as radios, servers, cameras and binoculars are essential for rescue operations at sea. From the deck of Humanity 1, the crew can see up to 16km with binoculars.
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