Ship with over 400 rescued boat migrants makes plea for German solidarity

Over 400 boat migrants were rescued at sea by the Sea-Eye charity, as it seeks safe port for the people rescued inside the Libyan and Maltese search and rescue zones.

Sea-Eye said that 247 German municipalities and cities had declared their readiness to accept people rescued at sea by the Seebrücke alliance,

Michael Schwickart, vice-chairman of United4 Rescue, called for European solidarity with Mediterranean countries. “It must not be that now again an undignified discussion about the distribution of individuals begins at the European level. We must be in solidarity with the Mediterranean countries.

“The German government would send a clear and important signal if it declared its willingness to take in the rescued persons. This could also lead to our alliance ships not being repeatedly detained and prevented from rescuing people. How much these ships are needed, we have seen in the last few hours.”

The rescue ship Sea-Eye 4 saved over 400 people in four days, from wooden boats unsuitable for the high seas in six rescue operations.

The UNHCR has also reported that the Libyan Coast Guard had prevented a total of 650 people from leaving Libya, at the same time.

“Those rescued come from many different nations. Among them are many minors, who are considered particularly vulnerable. So far, not a single European authority has responded to the messages from Sea-Eye 4,” said Sea-Eye chairman Gorden Isler.

“We very much hope that we will be assigned a port of safety for the Sea-Eye 4 in the next hours. Our crew has been in action for more than 96 hours because there has been no governmental effort at all to help these people seeking protection.”

The Sea-Eye 4 is heading north and waiting for a European rescue coordination centre to take over further coordination.

“Among the over 400 people rescued, 25 were in a condition requiring treatment or even in critical condition. An eight-year-old boy, for example, was no longer responsive. We have since been able to stabilize him and all the other patients in the onboard hospital. Three pregnant women and one baby are in good condition,” said Dr Stefan Mees of the German Doctors mission which has partnered with the Sea-Eye 4.

“We tested one man with pneumonia, negative for COVID-19. The most common diagnoses were hypothermia, dehydration, malnutrition, exhaustion, and seasickness and unconsciousness. It is deeply distressing that most people also show clear symptoms of severe trauma – including many of the children.”