Mediterranea Saving Humans APS
Formation4 October 2018
Founded atBologna (Italy)
TypeCivil society reality platform
PurposeMonitoring and possible aid to those who risk dying in the Central Mediterranean
Websitehttps://mediterranearescue.org

Mediterranea Saving Humans APS is a "civil society platform" making connections between existing networks and individuals and a "non governmental project".[1] Though it is similar to the many NGOs operating in the Mediterranean it is not actually an NGO, it brings together heterogeneous organizations and individuals, secular and religious, social and cultural, unions and political, who have decided to take a stand against the deaths and the human rights violations committed daily in the Mediterranean Sea. It was founded in 2018 to keep watch of the situation in the Mediterranean sea and to save lives in difficulty after the majority of other NGOs were not able to act due the legal obstacles created by the Italian authorities.[2][3][4] The group coordinates the search and rescue operations of the ships Mare Jonio and Alex which sail under the Italian flag. The project also has the support of the German association Sea-Watch and the Spanish Proactiva Open Arms.[5] It has carried out several search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean Sea with the ship Mare Jonio. Recognition of the work of Mediterranea has come from Pope Francis.

Operations

May 2019

On 9 May 2019, the Mare Jonio and the Italian Coast Guard saved almost 66 people near the Libyan coast. Their boat had capsized in the sea and the Mare Jonio ship welcomed 30 people on board. The minister of the interior announced that neither ship had the permission to make the people land, but later they were authorized.[6] The ship headed north, where it encountered the Italian authorities and was taken to Lampedusa. By order of the Internal ministry, on the night of the 10th the ship was seized and the crew were accused of aiding and abetting illegal immigration.[7][8] The activists claimed they were undertaking research, and protested against a seizure.[9] On 13 May the Attorney general of Agrigento rejected the preventive seizure for lack of evidence.[10]

July 2019

On 5 July 2019, the ship Alex, a yacht with a sail which had initially just been tasked with accompanying the Mare Jonio, reached the waters off the coast of Lampedusa with fifty four people on board, picked up the previous day.[11] As had happened previously with Sea-Watch 3, the authorities initially refused the request to enter.[12] The Italian government refused to accept people in Lampedusa and referenced Malta, some 100 km away, as an alternative. The spokesperson for the organisation, Alessandra Sciurba, declared the journey to be too long and impossible for the passengers on 6 July 2019.[13][14][15] In the afternoon of 6 July 2019, the captain Tommaso Stella entered the port of Lampedusa without permission.[14][16][17][18] The ship was overloaded more than three times the amount agreed upon by the eleven members of the crew. From a maritime point of view, therefore, refusal was not an option.

August–September 2019

On 28 August the rescue ship Mare Jonio saved approximately 100 people from a refugee ship that was sinking. According to the survivors, 6 people, including children, had previously drowned.[19] The Italian coast guard brought children and women on land in Lampedusa. Mare Jonio was forbidden from allowing the remaining 34 rescued people to reach land in an Italian port because the operators would have not respected the laws and caused an emergency situation.[20] The authorisation to land «for health reasons» came from the captaincy of the port on 2 September, following a storm and a hunger strike that the migrants had started.[21][22] The ship was subsequently confiscated until February 2020, when the jury accepted Mediterranea's appeal, immediately releasing the ship from seizure.[23]

June–July 2020

Halfway through March 2020 the organisation announced that its two ships, Mare Jonio and Alex would suspend their navigation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[24] Navigation resumed in the month of June.[25] On the 19th there was the recovery of sixty people, who were able to land at Pozzallo without facing particular obstacles.[26] On the 29th another forty-three people were rescued, and in subsequent days reached the shores of Augusta, Sicily.[27] Since some of them had resulted positive for the Covid-19 virus, the crew observed the mandatory quarantine, which ended without repercussions on 15 July .[28]

Funding

Mediterranea is supported with contributions and support from associations like ARCI and Ya Basta Bologna, NGOs like Sea-Watch, social enterprises and individuals. The project was made possible with a loan from an Italian ethical bank, Banca Etica, and a crowdfunding campaign with over 3000 supporters which raised over 1 million euros.[29] When Mare Jonio was stopped and fined in May 2019, in less than 2 days they received the 65,000 euros needed to pay the fine through crowdfunding.[30]

International recognition

Pope Francis has publicly expressed support for the work of Mediterranea and their rescue mission. In December 2019 he received a cross with the life jacket that had been found floating in the sea. He had it placed at one of the entrances to the Apostolic Palace and wrote "I have decided to display this life-vest, 'crucified' on this cross, to remind us to keep our eyes open, to keep our hearts open, to remind everyone of the obligatory duty to save each human life. It is a moral responsibility that unites believers and non-believers."[31]

In May 2021 Mediterranea was awarded the Danish Shipping prize together with the Danish Maersk Etienne saving 27refugees off Tunisia whose ship had been taking on water. The Maersk Etienne crew took the refugees on board but they were not allowed to disembark in Malta as the Maltese authorities said that the rescue did not happen in its territorial waters. On 11 September, after 38 days on board, the refugees were transferred to Mediterranea's Mare Jonio vessel, and subsequently permitted to land.[32][33]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Mediterranea". Mediterranea Saving Humans. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  2. ↑ "The prosecutor's case against the rescue ship Open Arms ⁄ Open Migration". Open Migration. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "Italy: Migrant Rescue Ship Impounded". Human Rights Watch. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Italy seizes refugee rescue ship accused of 'aiding illegal immigration'". The Independent. 3 August 2017. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "Aktuelle Mission / Partner: Mediterranea / Mare Jonio". Sea-Watch (in German). 4 January 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Flüchtlinge gerettet – Salvini verärgert" [Refugees rescued - Salvini shocked]. Tagesschau (German TV series) (in German). 10 May 2019. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  7. ↑ "Nuova strage di migranti. Sequestrata la Mare Jonio. Sarebbero partiti dalla Libia, 16 i sopravvissuti" [New massacre of migrants. Mare Jonio Seized. 16 survivors would have left Libya]. ANSA. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "NGO-run ship Mare Jonio seized after migrant rescue – English". ANSA.it. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  9. ↑ Fabio Albanese (10 May 2019). "Le due navi che hanno salvato i migranti sono arrivate in Italia. La Mare Jonio sequestrata" [The two ships that rescued the migrants arrived in Italy. The Mare Jonio seized]. La Stampa. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  10. ↑ "Non convalidato il sequestro preventivo della nave Mare Jonio" [The preventive seizure of the Mare Jonio ship has not been validated]. Lettera43. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  11. ↑ "NGO-Schiff rettet 54 Migranten in libyschen Gewässern (ONG-Schiff salva 54 migranti nelle acque libiche)" [NGO ship saves 54 migrants in Libyan waters]. Stol.it Nachrichten für Südtirol (in German). 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  12. ↑ "Deutsches Rettungsschiff "Alan Kurdi" nimmt 65 Migranten an Bord (La nave di soccorso tedesca "Alan Kurdi" prende a bordo 65 migranti)" [German rescue ship "Alan Kurdi" takes 65 migrants on board]. Die Welt (in German). 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  13. ↑ "Alex, Lampedusa porto chiuso. Il Viminale incastra così la Ong: "Vi aiutiamo, a una condizione"" [Alex, Lampedusa port closed. The Viminale blocks the NGO thus: "We will help you, on one condition"]. Libero. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  14. 1 2 Marco Mensurati; Alessandra Ziniti (6 July 2019). "La nave Alex attraccata a Lampusa, migranti a terra nella notte. La Finanza sequestra la nave" [The ship Alex docked in Lampusa, migrants ashore in the night. Finance seizes the ship]. la Repubblica. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  15. ↑ "Mediterranea on Alex case: "in these conditions sailing to Malta would seriously endanger health and safety of people on board. Lampedusa is the only possible place of safety."". Mediterranea. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  16. ↑ "Trotz Salvini-Verbot: Italienisches Rettungsschiff setzt Kurs auf Lampedusa (Nonostante il divieto di Salvini: la nave di soccorso italiana fa rotta per Lampedusa)" [Despite Salvini ban: Italian rescue ship sets course for Lampedusa]. FOCUS Online (in German). 6 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  17. ↑ "Rettungsschiff trotzt Salvini. "Alex" auf Lampedusa angekommen (La nave di soccorso sfida Salvini. "Alex" sulla strada per Lampedusa)" [Rescue ship defies Salvini. "Alex" arrived on Lampedusa]. ZDF (in German). 6 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  18. ↑ Oliver Meiler (7 July 2019). "Skipper "Tommy", die italienische Antwort auf Carola Rackete (Skipper "Tommy", la risposta italiana a Carola Rackete)" [Skipper "Tommy", the Italian answer to Carola Rackete]. Tages-Anzeiger (in German). Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  19. ↑ "Migranti, i bambini salvati in mare mentre i sopravvissuti dicono che sei annegati" [Migrants, babies rescued at sea as survivors say six drowned]. News24. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  20. ↑ "L'Italia sbarca alcuni migranti dalla nave di salvataggio Mare Jonio ma non revoca il divieto" [Italy disembarks some migrants from rescue ship Mare Jonio but won't lift ban]. CNA. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  21. ↑ Antonella Salini (2 September 2019). "Mare Jonio, finisce l'incubo: "La Guardia costiera ci fa sbarcare per motivi sanitari"" [Mare Jonio, the nightmare ends: "The Coast Guard makes us disembark for health reasons"]. Agenzia DIRE. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  22. ↑ Nello Scavo (2 September 2019). "Nave Mare Jonio. Sciopero della fame e della sete. Inviato report sanitario in Procura" [Ship Mare Jonio. Strike of hunger and thirst. Health report sent to the Public Prosecutor's Office]. Avvenire. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  23. ↑ "Mediterranea esulta: "Tribunale ordina il dissequestro della nave Mare Jonio"" [Mediterranea rejoices: "Court orders the release from seizure of the Mare Jonio ship"]. Agenzia DIRE. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  24. ↑ Alessandra Benignetti (18 March 2020). "Migranti, Ong annunciano stop alle missioni: "Ce lo impone la pandemia"" [Migrants, NGOs announce stop to missions: "The pandemic forces it to us"]. Il Journal. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  25. ↑ Andrea Gagliardi (12 June 2020). "Tornano in mare le navi delle Ong, sbarchi in aumento già ad aprile e maggio. La Mare Jonio e la Sea Watch 3 si trovano nell'area di ricerca e soccorso davanti alla Libia. A maggio e aprile sbarchi raddoppiati rispetto allo stesso mese del 2019" [The ships of the NGOs return to sea, landings increasing already in April and May. The Mare Jonio and the Sea-Watch 3 are located in the search and rescue area in front of Libya. In May and April landings doubled compared to the same month in 2019]. Il Sole 24 Ore. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  26. ↑ Fabio Albanese (20 June 2020). "Migranti, a Pozzallo i 67 salvati dalla Mare Jonio. Resta senza "porto sicuro" la Sea Watch 3 che naviga al largo della Sicilia" [Migrants, in Pozzallo the 67 saved from the Ionian Sea. The Sea Watch 3 that sails off the coast of Sicily remains without a "safe haven"]. La Stampa. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  27. ↑ Alessandro Puglia (29 June 2020). "Mediterranea salva 43 naufraghi, ma il bimbo nato nel naufragio è ancora in Libia" [Mediterranea saves 43 shipwrecked, but the child born in the shipwreck is still in Libya]. Vita. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  28. ↑ Patrizia Caiffa (15 July 2020). "Migranti: Mediterranea, conclusa la quarantena della nave Mare Jonio. "Pandemia non sia scusa per non soccorrere"" [Migrants: Mediterranea, the quarantine of the Mare Jonio ship concluded. "Pandemic is no excuse not to help"]. Servizio Informazione Religiosa| AgenSIR. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  29. ↑ "Mediterranea Saving Humans". Produzioni dal Basso. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  30. ↑ "Mediterranea: i sostenitori pagano la multa. Il crowdfunding continua per tornare in mare" [Mediterranea: supporters pay the fine. Crowdfunding continues to return to the sea]. DINAMOpress (in Italian). 10 July 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  31. ↑ "Pope to NGOs helping refugees at sea: "I am always available. Count on me" | ROME REPORTS". www.romereports.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  32. ↑ Lin (m_lin), Max Tingyao (27 May 2021). "Maersk Etienne crew wins Danish Shipping prize for saving Libyan migrants | TradeWinds". TradeWinds | Latest shipping and maritime news. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  33. ↑ "Gli armatori danesi premiano Mediterranea per il soccorso finito sotto inchiesta" [Danish shipowners recognise Mediterranea for rescue that is under investigation]. il manifesto (in Italian). 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
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