Yesterday, April 1, 2026, 19 people died while fleeing across the Mediterranean Sea. They were rescued by the Italian coastguard and brought ashore in Lampedusa. Five people remain in critical condition. Fifty-eight survivors were rescued by the coastguard. Based on its own investigation, the search and rescue organization Sea-Watch now has several pieces of circumstantial…
DetailsBerlin / Trapani, 30 March 2026 – Italian authorities have imposed a 20-day detention and a €10,000 fine on the civilian search-and-rescue vessel Sea-Watch 5. On March 15, the ship rescued 93 people in distress in international waters. During the rescue operation, the crew refused to communicate with Libyan militias, which return refugees to systems…
DetailsFollowing the rescue of 93 people in distress at sea in international waters on Sunday, 15 March, the rescue vessel Sea-Watch 5 has been forced to declare a state of necessity due to the acute medical situation and Italy’s violation of international law by denying a place of safety. In this situation, entering a port…
DetailsAfter rescuing 93 people in distress in international waters on 15 March and the medical evacuation of nine survivors to Italy — including a two-year-old child in life-threatening condition — the rescue ship Sea-Watch 5 is currently sheltering off the coast of Sicily with 84 survivors on board. Severe weather conditions in the Strait of…
DetailsOn 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…
DetailsPalermo / Rome / Berlin – Within a few days, two landmark rulings have confirmed the course of civilian sea rescue and put the far-right Italian government in its place. The government is currently planning to revive its 2018 policy of closed ports. It was this very policy that Carola Rackete rebelled against in 2019…
DetailsThis factsheet provides a summary of political developments and operational updates regarding our ships and aircraft from July to December 2025. Download Full Report 1. Political developments The Italian authorities detain NGO aircraft and shut down civilian monitoring over the central Mediterranean Sea Over 60 incidents of violence at sea and yet the EU met…
DetailsBerlin, 12 February 2026 – According to public announcements made on 11 February 2026, the Italian government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is planning the third part of its so-called “security package.” The draft law reportedly seeks to reinstate a naval blockade on civilian sea-rescue operations in the central Mediterranean. At the core of the…
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