Human Rights at Sea supports the launch of “Humanity 1”, which set sail from Spain for the Central Mediterranean on Saturday, 27th August 2022, for its first mission on behalf of the German Aid group, SOS Humanity.
The rescue ship and crew members will sail for the search and rescue region in international waters off the Libyan coast to help those in distress at sea, upholding both International Maritime and International Human Rights law.
We demand that the European rescue coordination centres coordinate our upcoming rescue operations, as required by the applicable regulations and thus fulfil their obligations under international law
said Mirka Schäfer, who has taken on the new “Human Rights Observer” role
The Central Mediterranean is one of the deadliest crossings in the world; since 2014, over 20,000 people have died trying to flee from war and persecution.
To coincide with the departure of Humanity 1, SOS Humanity has published the “SOS on the Mediterranean Sea” petition. The humanitarian organisation calls on the German Government to keep the promises made in the coalition agreement to initiate a European search and rescue programme after figures suggest that more than 900 refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in 2022.
This latest initiative from SOS Humanity is a vital response to the ongoing Mediterranean crisis, which has been aggravated by continued failings, lack of application of the rule of law at sea, and often desperate humanitarian conditions of those persons moving through the region and across the Mediterranean Sea
HRAS added.
