Ten Years of Maritime Resistance: Civilian Rescuers in the Mediterranean

Mediterranean Sea – August 1, 2024 – As European states continue to show hostility towards civilian rescuers aiding migrant boats in distress, these non-governmental organizations (NGOs) mark a decade of life-saving operations in the Mediterranean. Despite opposition, they remain committed to their mission.

This month, tensions escalated when Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized Sea-Watch, a prominent search and rescue NGO, for allegedly not condemning smugglers. Sea-Watch had previously condemned the Libyan-Italian collaboration on border control, predicting it would lead to more migrant deaths.

Next month will mark 10 years since the first NGO rescue organization began operations in the central Mediterranean. Since then, a robust network of about two dozen solidarity organizations has evolved, including the activist hotline Alarm Phone and civil aircraft monitoring the sea.

In 2019, the Civil Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was established to address the failures of state-run Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres. Despite initial concerns that NGO efforts might lead to a reduction in state-led rescues, EU member states, particularly Italy, have increasingly criminalized and obstructed these civilian rescuers.

Over the years, NGOs have been vilified and accused of being “taxi services” for migrants. However, these organizations have remained steadfast, revealing grave human rights violations and exposing Europe’s systematic border crimes.

As we celebrate the resilience of these rescuers, the 10th anniversary of their civil engagement highlights Europe’s failure to provide safe migration alternatives. The continued necessity for nonstate actors in sea rescue underscores the dire consequences of the EU’s deterrence policies, which have claimed tens of thousands of lives over the past decade.