The civil rescue organization Sea-Watch introduces a new monitoring aircraft in the central Mediterranean. The Seabird 3, a Diamond DA42 aircraft, will be operated in partnership with the Humanitarian Pilots Initiative and United4Rescue. This new alliance aircraft will allow for continued documentation of human rights violations and help assist those in distress in the central Mediterranean.
Seabird 3 directly responds to the 2024 Flussi decree issued by the Italian government. The decree harshly criminalizes the work of Sea-Watch Airborne operations and, for the first time, threatens the confiscation of its monitoring aircraft. The alliance aircraft ensures that EU governments can continue to be held accountable for their actions at sea.
“For years, we have monitored the central Mediterranean, documented human rights violations, and assisted those in distress,” said Paul Wagner, press spokesperson. “The EU and Italian authorities are becoming increasingly authoritarian. The Italian government’s laws against civilian sea rescue organizations are actively increasing the mass deaths of refugees in the Mediterranean – but we remain committed to our mission. If one aircraft gets grounded, we will let another one fly.”
Sea-Watch recently took legal action against Italian authorities for negligent manslaughter following the September 2 shipwreck that left 21 dead in 2024. 2024 was the single deadliest year on record on global migrant routes, according to the International Organization of Migration. As EU migration policies remain merciless and inhumane, independent monitoring is more critical than ever.
The twin-engine Seabird 3 is smaller than Sea-Watch’s current aircraft. It is an exceptionally light, efficient propeller aircraft with a long flight duration. It can fly particularly slowly at just under 175 km/h, which is helpful for search flights. In a separate, unrelated deployment, the Humanitarian Pilots Initiative and United4Rescue will operate Seabird 3 on the Atlantic route close to the Canary Islands.
The aircraft Seabird 3 sends a clear message: The governments of the EU and Italy cannot let people drown or force them into torture camps with impunity; they will be held publicly accountable.
