The AURORA is literally tailor-made for its operation: Unlike most large rescue vessels – which were built as research ships or offshore supply vessels and had to be extensively refitted for their new purpose – the AURORA is operated as it has proven itself in over 20 years of service in the UK. The AURORA was built as a lifeboat and was part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) fleet until 2019.

The main difference is the range, for which we have fitted the boat with additional fuel tanks. We also repainted the boat, overhauled its electronic systems, and installed additional life-saving equipment to adapt it to the special situation in the central Mediterranean. The crew of six includes a Captain, Engineer, RHIB driver, Head of Mission, Cultural Mediator, and Medic.

In action against the dying in the Mediterranean Sea

During its first deployment, the AURORA was able to rescue 85 people on May 29, 2022, whose boat was already taking on water. Only two days after the rescue, the AURORA was wrongfully detained by the British flag state. After almost six months of detention, the ship was reflagged and had been sailing under the German flag since November 2022.

By the end of 2024, we had been involved in the rescue of 1,889 people with the Aurora.