SOS MEDITERRANEE

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Not even the presence of a deceased person on board prompted a more humane response. Even in death, the policy of distant ports continues, prolonging the suffering of exhausted survivors and keeping humanitarian rescue capacity away from the Central Mediterranean.

Facing rough seas, the survivors and crew on board #OceanViking are sailing towards #Ravenna, 1350 km away from the area of operations. A closer port was requested, but not granted by the authorities.

This is what people go through in #Libya, a dangerous country for them. Another death in 2026: the deadliest start of the year ever recorded in the #Mediterranean, amid EU States’ cooperation with the Libyan coast guard, forcing people back to violence.

All survivors are now safely on board and receiving assistance. Several suffered from cold stress. According to survivors testimonies, the deceased person had allegedly endured physical violence in #Libya before departure and had been unconscious for hours before the rescue.

This morning, the #OceanViking rescued 56 people from an overcrowded white fiberglass boat in distress in the Libyan SRR. One person was found not breathing and brought on board,where our medical team provided emergency medical care. Sadly, shortly after he was declared dead

These 75 people are only alive thanks to the efforts of a humanitarian and a merchant vessel. They were abandoned at sea for 5 days by the authorities, while rescuers, such as @seawatch_intl, are attacked and threatened by the EU-sponsored Libyan coast guard.

While the #OceanViking was heading to the boat in distress, the tanker MV KILBURN responded and stayed with it overnight, upholding its duty despite contradictory instructions from Maltese authorities. The same authorities did not coordinate or interact with our ship in any way.

This morning, #OceanViking rescued 75 people from an overcrowded boat, following a #AlarmPhone alert. The case was spotted by #SeaBird. All survivors are now safe on board. They reportedly spent five days and four nights at sea. Some of them suffered severe #dehydration

🚨Another civilian rescue ship has been shot at by the Libyan Coast Guard, now targeting @seawatch_intl. All our solidarity with the crew on board

From violence and detention in Libya to days lost at sea, their journey did not end with a rescue. The #OceanViking was forced to sail 1500km to a place of safety. Assigning distant ports keeps survivors longer at sea & SAR vessels away from where they are most needed: at sea.

Four days after their rescue, 25 people finally stepped ashore in #Ancona. Half are minors, including 2 women, one pregnant. They were found in distress at night on a damaged, overcrowded rubber boat taking on water. They are now #safe and we wish them well.

Ancona has been assigned as the place of safety, approximately 800 NM away. This represents around 4 days and 5 hours of navigation for the #OceanViking. More days of waiting for survivors already exhausted, and a further delay before the ship can return to save lives.

After 3 days, 4 nights at sea without food or water, they were found exhausted, dehydrated, with fuel burns and sunburns. Rescue at sea is a legal obligation. No one should endure this. Yet such situations persist in the Central Mediterranean.

Last night, shortly before midnight the crew of the #OceanViking  rescued 25 people from an overcrowded rubber boat in distress with a deflated sponson, just north of the Libyan/Maltese SAR boundary. Among the survivors, 2 women, one pregnant. Half are minors. All are now safe.

#OceanViking, equipped for mass rescue & medical care, had searched all night after an alert from @alarm_phone. No State rescue coordinator acknowledged its availability to help. Another example of lawlessness in the #Mediterranean.

The 45 people were not rescued. A rescue ends at a place of safety. Libya is NOT safe: they're returned to abuse & exploitation, violating the principle of non-refoulement.

Yesterday morning, #AlbatrossUNO crew witnessed Liberian-flagged merchant vessel DOENICKE TIDE hand over shipwrecked persons, including women, children, and the body of a deceased person, to the Libyan coast guard.

These deaths could be avoided. They are the result of policy choices: withdrawal of state rescue, outsourcing to Libya/Tunisia & obstruction of NGOs. Without witnesses, data and identification systems, deaths at sea are not only undercounted, they are becoming uncountable.

Yesterday, #ALBATROSS spotted a dead body floating in the Central Mediterranean. They had a name, and we will likely never know it. Days after multiple shipwrecks off Libya and dozens of bodies washing ashore, 2026 continues to be deadly. sosmediterranee.org/a-body-at-sea-…

Over 180 people died in the Mediterranean last week. Preventable deaths, the result of deliberate political choices. This is the deadliest start to a year on record in the Mediterranean. Deterrence has replaced assistance. States must restore search&rescue bit.ly/readourstateme…