On March 15, 2026, the Sea-Watch 5 crew rescued 93 people in distress in international waters, including pregnant women, children, and unaccompanied minors. Nine of the rescued individuals had to be evacuated by the Italian coastguard that very same night, including a two-year-old child in life-threatening condition. The Sea-Watch 5 is currently en route to the designated port of Marina di Carrara: a four-day voyage and more than 1,100 km away from the rescue site. Weather conditions are catastrophic, with 2-meter waves and strong winds. Sea-Watch calls on the Italian government to comply with international law and assign the ship to the nearest port. The German federal government must immediately advocate for the German flagged rescue vessel.
Sea-Watch spokesperson Giulia Messmer comments:
“All rescued persons must be brought ashore immediately. A 4-day crossing to northern Italy under these weather conditions is nothing but a political power play and deliberately endangers all lives on board.”
The start of 2026 has been the deadliest in more than a decade. So far, more than 680 people have been reported dead or missing. The number of unreported deaths is estimated to be significantly higher. The rapid deterioration of weather conditions over the past few days is currently endangering the lives of people aboard several boats reported by the organization Alarm Phone. Just a few days ago, a child disappeared at sea, and a 21-year-old man was recovered from a boat in distress only after he had died.
