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Sea-Watch

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Sea-Watch is a German non-governmental organisation that operates in the Mediterranean Sea, notably by commissioning ships to rescue migrants.

Sea-Watch
Established19 May 2015 Edit this on Wikidata (9 years ago)
FoundersHarald Höppner Edit this on Wikidata
Legal statusregistered association Edit this on Wikidata
HeadquartersBerlin Edit this on Wikidata
Membership57 (2022) Edit this on Wikidata
Revenue12,072,829.2 Euro (2021) Edit this on Wikidata

History

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On 6 November 2017, the crew of a Sea-Watch ship rescued 58 people in an operation hindered by the Libyan Navy. Twenty other people drowned.[1][2][3] Video footage that implicated the Libyan Coast Guard was later used in legal action against Italy in the European Court of Human Rights.[4]

2018

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The ship Sea-Watch resumed her operations in November 2018[5][6][7] after it was detained in Malta between July and October.[8]

On 22 December 2018, another of the organisation's ships, Sea-Watch 3, rescued around 32 people,[9] but was unable to dock in Malta, Italy, or Spain.[10][11]

2019

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Stickers of Sea-Watch and its Defend solidarity campaign

On 3 January 2019, France, Germany and the Netherlands offered to take some of the 49 migrants blocked off Malta on Sea-Watch and Sea-Eye "as a collective allocation effort".[11][8] According to Mina Andreeva, the spokeswoman of the European Commission, more solidarity is needed along with "foreseeable and sustainable solutions for the landing and re-localization in the Mediterranean"; she quoted the commissioner in charge of migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos.[12]

Two weeks after the rescue, the 49 migrants were still blocked off Malta on Sea-Watch 3 and the Sea-Eye [de],[13] in spite of an appeal by Pope Francis.[14] On 9 January, they were finally allowed to disembark in Malta[15] after an agreement to relocate them to eight other European countries was reached.[16][17] On 19 January, Sea-Watch 3 rescued 47 further migrants. The Italian government forbade her from entering the port, and initiated legal action against the Netherlands;[18] the organisation referred the case to the European Court of Human Rights.[19] On 29 January, Italy, Germany, France, Malta, Portugal, Romania, and Luxembourg agreed to relocate the 47 migrants.[20] Deputy Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Salvini demanded that Sea-Watch 3 be detained.[20] As the ship was docked at the Italian city Catania to land the migrants, she was blocked by the Italian military on the grounds of "several non-conformities"; the organisation called the obstruction political pressure.[21]

On 19 May 2019, the Italian police seized Sea-Watch 3 at the island Lampedusa, allowing the disembarking of the 47 migrants whom she had recently picked up on 15 May 2019.[22][23] Reports of the operations angered Matteo Salvini, who opposed the landing of the migrants.[23][24] In June 2019, the ship was again detained; 53 migrants had been rescued from the coast of Libya on 12 June.[25] Italy allowed only 11 especially vulnerable people to disembark; on 25 June 2019, the captain of Sea-Watch 3 threatened to land at Lampedusa in spite of the interdiction,[26] eventually entering Italian territorial waters. According to the organisation, it was "not as a provocative act, but out of necessity and responsibility".[27][28][29] A column in French newspaper Le Monde stated that Captain Carola Rackete was only "reminding us all of the existence of international conventions such as that stating rescue at sea is a duty for all".[30] In an editorial in the same newspaper, 700 celebrities supported the migrants and opposed Salvini.[31] A poll by Italian daily Il Giornale showed that 61% of Italians were opposed to Sea-Watch 3 landing at Lampedusa.[32] During the night of 28 to 29 June, the ship was seized, and Carola Rackete was arrested for helping illegal immigration.[33] Sea-Watch 3 later collided with the 50-knot Class 800 patrol boat[34] "808" of Italian law enforcement agency Guardia di Finanza, which had tried to block the larger vessel from docking. The boat[clarification needed] was pushed against the dock and slightly damaged.[35] Since the Guardia di Finanza was legally considered a combatant while it protected waterways, the Italian media reported that Rackete could also be charged with attack on a warship, a crime punishable with 3 to 10 years in prison.[36] Two days later, an Italian judge decided that no further incarceration was necessary, and Rackete was released. As of July 2019, the criminal investigation continues.[37]

Cooperation with Protestant Church

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The sea rescue ship Sea-Watch 4 (with the suffix "powered by United4Rescue"), financed by the Protestant Church in germany (EKD), was deployed under the direction of Sea-Watch in 2020.[38] For this purpose, the sponsoring association, Rescue Together (Gemeinsam Retten), was set up, with Thies Gundlach from the EKD as the first chairman and Michael Schwickart from Sea-Watch as the second chairman.

Ships

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Sea-Watch is a former 21.12-meter (69 ft 3 in) fishing ship. Built in 1917[39] and purchased in 2015, Sea-Watch used her in 2015 until she was transferred later that year to the organisation Mare Liberum, receiving the name Mare Liberum.

Sea-Watch 2 is a former fishing research ship, originally entering service as Clupea in 1968. She was deployed on 14-day rescue operations between Libya and Malta in 2016 and 2017 along with Sea-Watch. Sold to the organisation Mission Lifeline, she now operates under the name Lifeline.[40]

Sea-Watch 3 is a 50.53-meter (165 ft 9 in) ship. Built in 1972 as an offshore supply ship, the organisation Médecins Sans Frontières commissioned it as a search and rescue vessel under the name Dignity I before transfer to Sea-Watch.[41]

Sea-Watch 4 is a 60.70-meter (199 ft 2 in) ship. Built in 1976 as a research ship, the Evangelical Church in Germany formed an association to buy the ship in early 2020. The ship is run by a cooperation between Sea-Watch and Médecins Sans Frontières and operated as a German-flagged rescue vessel in the Mediterranean Sea since August 2020.[42]

The Sea-Watch 5 is a 58-meter (190 ft 3 in) ship.[43] It started its work with Sea-Watch in December 2023.[44] The ship rescued 49 migrants off Malta on 22 November 2024.[45]

Ships of Sea-Watch
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    MS Sea-Watch, a 100-year old former fishing cutter, on her first mission
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    MS Sea-Watch surrounded by refugee boats and life rafts while it waits for assistance on 5 July 2015
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    Sea-Watch 2 crowded with survivors who cover themselves in rescue blankets on 19 March 2017
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    Sea-Watch 3 patrolling the central Mediterranean search and rescue area on 19 December 2018, two days before the rescue of 32 people. The incident led to an 18-day standoff in front of Malta.

Reconnaissance aircraft

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Since 2017, Sea-Watch have operated a SAR-coordinating reconnaissance aircraft, Moonbird, a single-engined Cirrus SR22, and since June 2020, also the Seabird, a twin-engined high-performance Beechcraft Baron 58.[46] These are flown in cooperation with the Swiss NGO Humanitarian Pilots Initiative.[47]

See also

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References 

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  1. ^ "Des chercheurs retracent le "sauvetage" désastreux de 150 migrants en Méditerranée" [Researchers trace disastrous 'rescue' of 150 migrants in Mediterranean]. Le Monde.fr. 2019-01-03. ISSN 1950-6244. Archived from the original on 2019-01-03. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  2. ^ Heller, Charles; Pezzani, Lorenzo; Mann, Itamar; Moreno-Lax, Violeta (2018-12-26). "'It's an Act of Murder': How Europe Outsources Suffering as Migrants Drown (Opinion)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  3. ^ "Enquête. Comment l'Europe et la Libye laissent mourir les migrants en mer" [Investigation: How Europe and Libya are letting migrants die at sea]. Courrier international (in French). 2019-01-02. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  4. ^ "Une vidéo du "New York Times" montre comment l'Europe laisse les migrants mourir en mer" [New York Times video shows how Europe is letting migrants die at sea]. Libération. 2019-01-04. Archived from the original on 2019-06-30. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
  5. ^ "Trois ONG lancent une opération de sauvetage au large de la Libye" [Three NGOs launch rescue operation off Libya]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 2018-11-23. Archived from the original on 2018-12-21. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
  6. ^ ""Aquarius" : "La non-assistance à personnes en danger est revenue en force en Méditerranée"" ["Aquarius": "Failure to assist people in danger has returned in force in the Mediterranean"]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 2018-12-07. Archived from the original on 2018-12-23. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
  7. ^ "Migrants : "Il existe une politique de criminalisation des sauvetages en mer"" [Migrants: "There is a policy of criminalizing sea rescues"]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 2018-11-24. Archived from the original on 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
  8. ^ a b "Les ONG de sauvetage de migrants sont de retour en Méditerranée" [Migrant rescue NGOs are back in the Mediterranean]. Le Monde. 2019-01-04. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  9. ^ "Christmas at sea: 344 people rescued within 24 hours – no safe port for the rescued people on Sea-Watch 3 • Sea-Watch e.V." Sea-Watch e.V. 2018-12-23. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  10. ^ "Migrants en Méditerranée : l'appel de la ligue des droits de l'homme Corse" [Migrants in the Mediterranean: the appeal of the Corsican Human Rights League]. France Bleu (in French). 2019-01-02. Archived from the original on 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  11. ^ a b "La France prête à accueillir des migrants bloqués au large de Malte" [France ready to welcome migrants stranded off Malta]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 2019-01-03. Archived from the original on 2019-01-03. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  12. ^ "49 migrants dans l'attente de la bonne volonté européenne" [49 migrants awaiting European goodwill]. Bruxelles2.eu. 2019-01-05. Archived from the original on 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
  13. ^ "Migrants : les navires Sea-Watch et Sea-Eye toujours bloqués en mer" [Migrants: Sea-Watch and Sea-Eye ships still stuck at sea]. TV5MONDE (in French). 2019-01-06. Archived from the original on 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
  14. ^ "Migrants bloqués au large de Malte : le pape lance un appel à la solidarité européenne" [Migrants stranded off Malta: Pope calls for European solidarity]. Le Monde. 2019-01-07. Archived from the original on 2019-05-31. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
  15. ^ "EU hostages finally set free after 19 days aboard Sea-Watch 3 • Sea-Watch e.V." Sea-Watch e.V. 2019-01-09. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  16. ^ "Les cris de joie des réfugiés du Sea-Watch en apprenant qu'ils ont enfin le droit d'accoster à Malte" [The cheers of the Sea-Watch refugees as they learn that they are finally allowed to land in Malta]. Le Huffington Post (in French). 2019-01-10. Archived from the original on 2019-01-10. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  17. ^ "Scènes de joie à bord du Sea Watch avant le débarquement à Malte" [Scenes of joy on board the Sea Watch before disembarkation in Malta]. www.voaafrique.com (in French). 2019-01-09. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  18. ^ "Italy vows to sue NGO over migrant rescue boat". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2019-01-27. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
  19. ^ "Migrants : l'ONG Sea-Watch saisit la CEDH contre l'Italie" [Migrants: NGO Sea-Watch takes Italy to ECHR]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-01-29. Archived from the original on 2019-01-29. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  20. ^ a b "L'Italie parvient à un accord sur les 47 migrants du "Sea-Watch"" [Italy reaches agreement on 47 migrants from "Sea-Watch"]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-01-31. Archived from the original on 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
  21. ^ "Le navire "Sea-Watch" bloqué en Sicile par les gardes-côtes italiens" [The "Sea-Watch" ship blocked in Sicily by the Italian coastguard]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-02-01. Archived from the original on 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  22. ^ "Après la saisie d'un bateau de Sea Watch, des migrants débarquent à Lampedusa, malgré l'interdiction de Matteo Salvini" [After the seizure of a Sea Watch boat, migrants disembark in Lampedusa, despite Matteo Salvini's ban]. Franceinfo (in French). 2019-05-20. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
  23. ^ a b "Matteo Salvini couronné "prince" des extrêmes-droites européennes voit son autorité bafouée en Italie" [Matteo Salvini crowned "prince" of the European far right sees his authority flouted in Italy] (audio). France Culture (in French). 2019-05-20. Archived from the original on 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
  24. ^ "Le ministre de l'intérieur italien Salvini furieux de voir des migrants arriver à Lampedusa" [Italian Interior Minister Salvini furious at migrants arriving in Lampedusa]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-05-20. Archived from the original on 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
  25. ^ "Réunis à Malte, les pays d'Europe du Sud, dont la France, restent en désaccord sur l'accueil des migrants" [Meeting in Malta, the countries of Southern Europe, including France, remain in disagreement over the reception of migrants]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-06-15. Archived from the original on 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2019-06-15.
  26. ^ "La tension monte autour du "Sea-Watch", bloqué en mer avec 42 migrants" [Tensions are rising around the "Sea-Watch", stuck at sea with 42 migrants]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-06-25. Archived from the original on 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
  27. ^ "Treize jours après avoir secouru plus de 50 migrants, le "Sea-Watch 3" force le blocus des eaux italiennes" [Thirteen days after rescuing more than 50 migrants, the "Sea-Watch 3" forces the blockade of Italian waters]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-06-26. Archived from the original on 2019-06-26. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  28. ^ "Sea-Watch 3, l'honneur de désobéir" [Sea-Watch 3, the honor of disobeying]. France Culture (in French). 2019-06-27. Archived from the original on 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  29. ^ Sall, Rouguyata (2019-06-28). "Le "Sea-Watch 3" toujours bloqué au large de Lampedusa après avoir forcé le blocus italien" [The "Sea-Watch 3" still stuck off Lampedusa after breaking the Italian blockade]. Mediapart (in French). Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  30. ^ "Migrants : les leçons à l'Europe de la capitaine du "Sea-Watch 3"" [Migrants: lessons for Europe from the captain of the "Sea-Watch 3"]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-06-27. Archived from the original on 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  31. ^ ""Sea-Watch 3": "C'est maintenant qu'il faut inverser la destruction du droit et de l'humanité"" ["Sea-Watch 3": "Now is the time to reverse the destruction of law and humanity"]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-06-27. Archived from the original on 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  32. ^ "Sea Watch a Lampedusa: ma il 61% degli italiani non vuole che attracchi" [Sea Watch in Lampedusa: but 61% of Italians don't want it to dock]. ilgiornale.it (in Italian). 2019-06-27. Archived 2019-06-30 at the Wayback Machine
  33. ^ "Migrants en Méditerranée: le "Sea-Watch 3" accoste à Lampedusa malgré le refus du gouvernement, sa capitaine arrêtée" [Migrants in the Mediterranean: the "Sea-Watch 3" docks in Lampedusa despite the government's refusal, its captain arrested]. Le Monde (in French). 2019-06-29. Archived from the original on 2019-06-29. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
  34. ^ "Vedetta costiera V.800" [Coastguard cutter V.800] (PDF). GDF.gov.it (in Italian). 2019-06-29. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-06-30. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  35. ^ "Sea Watch, la manovra raccontata dai finanzieri: "Poteva schiacciarci. Voleva attraccare a tutti i costi, non speronare"" [Sea Watch, the maneuver told by the guardia finanzieri: "It could have crushed. It wanted to dock at all costs, not ram"]. Ilfattoquotidiano.it (in Italian). 2019-06-29. Archived from the original on 2019-06-29. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
  36. ^ Rüb, Matthias (2019-06-29). "Riskantes Anlegemanöver lässt Stimmung kippen" [Risky docking maneuver causes mood to change]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
  37. ^ "Matteo Salvini: Sea-Watch-Kapitänin Carola Rackete soll nach Hause" [Matteo Salvini: Sea-Watch captain Carola Rackete should return home]. .nau.ch (in German). 2019-07-03. Archived from the original on 2019-07-04. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  38. ^ Charlotte Hauswedell (2020-02-21). "New migrant rescue ship 'Sea-Watch 4' launched". Info Migrants website. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  39. ^ "Sea-Watch 1 • Sea-Watch e.V." Sea-Watch e.V. (in German). Archived from the original on 2019-08-01. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  40. ^ "Sea-Watch 2 • Sea-Watch e.V." Sea-Watch e.V. (in German). Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  41. ^ "Schiffsdetails Für: SEA WATCH 3 (Salvage/Rescue Vessel) – IMO 7302225, MMSI 244140096, Call Sign PE7098 Registriert In Netherlands | AIS Marine Traffic". MarineTraffic.com (in German). Archived from the original on 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  42. ^ "MSF and Sea-Watch announce collaboration to save lives at sea". msf.org. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  43. ^ "Sea-Watch 5". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  44. ^ "Sea-Watch 5: I rescue too". Better Place. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  45. ^ "Sea-Watch 5". Vessel Tracker. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  46. ^ "Airborne: Seabird 1 & 2 • Sea-Watch e.V. Moonbird & Seabird] Civilian aerial reconnaissance mission at the world's deadliest border". Sea-Watch e.V. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  47. ^ "December 2020 update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and legal proceedings against them". European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights fra.europa.eu. 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
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