Mediterranean Crisis

Mediterranean migration: European leaders must urgently allow disembarkation of 104 survivors

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SOS MEDITERRANEE and Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) call on a broad coalition of European States to urgently facilitate the assignment of a port to the Ocean Viking and to finally put in place a predictable and coordinated disembarkation mechanism, as discussed in Luxembourg earlier this month. The Ocean Viking, a rescue ship chartered by SOS MEDITERRANEE … Read more

On board the Ocean Viking: “We feel humbled by their courage”

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After each of the four rescues, the MSF medical team completes a primary medical assessment, examining the medical needs of the rescued people. As well as assessing the physical scars, wounds and other conditions requiring immediate medical attention, we identify those who require additional psychological support. When the rescued people come on board the Ocean … Read more

Mediterranean Migration: Place of safety needed for 356 people rescued in Central Mediterranean

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AMSTERDAM – After four consecutive days of lifesaving search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean, there are 356 vulnerable men, women and children currently on board the Ocean Viking. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and SOS MEDITERRANEE have now formally requested that the Maltese and Italian maritime authorities take on coordination and support … Read more

Mediterranean migration: Europe must act now to end preventable deaths in Libya and at sea

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Op-ed by Dr Joanne Liu, International President On 25 July, tragedy once again hit the Mediterranean. An estimated 150 people drowned whilst fleeing Libya. It brings this year’s toll in the Central Mediterranean Sea to at least 576 people. This entirely avoidable loss of life highlights the desperate lack of search and rescue capacity, and … Read more

Mediterranean migration: MSF resumes search and rescue amid deteriorating conditions in Libya

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Amsterdam – Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announces the resumption of lifesaving search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean, and condemns the criminal inaction of European governments. The return to sea comes after a sustained two-year campaign by EU governments to stop virtually all humanitarian action at sea, and the normalisation of vindictive … Read more

Mediterranean crisis: Sinister attacks by Italian authorities on life-saving search and rescue in the Mediterranean continue

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Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) strongly condemns the decision by Italian judicial authorities to request the seizure of the Aquarius for alleged anomalies in its disposal of on-board waste. It is a disproportionate and unfounded measure, purely aimed at further criminalizing lifesaving medical-humanitarian action at sea. “After two years of defamatory and unfounded allegations … Read more