More than 100 dead, 47 rescued and a merchant ship is liable to prosecution

Sea-Watch Chairman Johannes Bayer:

“The EU pretends to fight human trafficking, but what is it but human trafficking when states spend days haggling over the reception of a few dozen refugees and thereby acutely endanger their lives?”

“Sea rescue must never depend on EU negotiations, distribution issues need to be solved on land.”

“This weekend has shown in 3 acts the consequences of the deadly European isolation and the absurdity of this situation: On Friday the boat accident with more than 100 dead, our rescue of 47 people who still have no port of safety and now a merchant ship that violates international law and kidnaps people back to Libya. It shows 3 facts: First of all, there is too little rescue capacity and we cannot cover the entire Mediterranean alone. Secondly, the EU is completely uninterested in the maritime law, it places the prevention of migration above respect for the law at sea, and thirdly, closed ports lead to merchant vessels endangering people and making themselves liable to prosecution rather than risking hanging around in front of Europe. A disgrace.”

 

Rhib driver Brendan Woodhouse aboard Sea-Watch 3:

“In the past we were many, today the Sea-Watch 3 is the only remaining humanitarian rescue ship in the central Mediterranean. The criminalisation of humanitarian aid and the capitulation of human ethics in European politics are trying to eliminate solidarity at sea.”

 

Medic Dr. Frank Dörner aboard Sea-Watch 3:

“Times seem to have changed so much that even the mere saving of life can already be questioned. But it should be so simple: We are all equal and human dignity is inviolable. Or is that no longer the case?“