Dear friends of Sea-Eye,
At a time when the EU Parliament and the exploratory talks after the German elections are discussing stricter asylum regulations, solidarity is more important than ever: together with our partner organisations we are doing everything we can to stand up for humanity - and to save lives in the Mediterranean.
The sea is rough. And that doesn't just apply to the political obstacles that are making our work increasingly difficult. There have also been high waves, heavy seas and strong winds in the Mediterranean in recent days. Despite these challenges, in a joint operation with Sea-Watch on the SEA-EYE 4, we were able to bring 163 people to safety in five rescues.
At the same time, the SEA-EYE 5 was in the Mediterranean rescuing people from drowning. On board - and indispensable for this mission - was the rescue boat 'Lifeline 3', provided by the sea rescue organisation Mission Lifeline. On the night of 10 March, the crew of the SEA-EYE 5 rescued a total of 56 people from a rubber boat in distress at sea. Due to difficult weather conditions, it took more than two hours to get everyone on board the all-weather lifeboat. Among those seeking shelter was a three-day-old baby. A challenging task for Physician Patricia Darlington of our partner organisation German Doctors e.V.: “The people had been on a rubber boat for at least 12 hours. They were wet, seasick and dehydrated. Many of them were weak and exhausted.” The baby and his family were medically evacuated and handed over to the Italian coastguard off the coast of Lampedusa.
Take a stand against the ongoing deaths in the Mediterranean - and show your solidarity with our common mission: become a ship sponsor of the SEA-EYE 5!
Yours,
Anna di Bari - Board member of Sea-Eye e. V.