Ocean Vikings

SOS Mediterranee, MSF and Sea-Watch alert on the critical risk of more deaths in the central Mediterranean this summer in the absence of European state led search and rescue operations

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In this summer season, SOS Mediterranee, MSF and Sea-Watch urgently call for the provision of European state-led search and rescue maritime assets in the central Mediterranean to prevent more deaths. Within five days, Geo Barents, a search and rescue ship operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Ocean Viking a search and rescue ship chartered … Read more

Mediterranean migration: EU states use COVID-19 to shirk search and rescue obligations as MSF ends Ocean Viking partnership

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AMSTERDAM – European governments must stop using the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to enforce deadly migration control policies and must immediately lift the obstacles preventing NGOs from saving lives at sea, says Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in an urgent call today. The plea follows grotesque scenes that played out in the Mediterreanean Sea over the Easter … Read more

Mediterranean migration: Survivors disembark in Italy amidst deadly week in the Mediterranean

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Amsterdam/Marseille – As the 213 people rescued by the Ocean Viking last week disembarked in Messina, Italy, SOS MEDITERRANEE and Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have repeated their calls to EU governments to cease hindering lifesaving Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, and to ensure a sustained and coordinated response to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in the central Mediterranean. More than … Read more

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