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Each year, thousands of people fleeing war, persecution and poverty die crossing the Mediterranean Sea trying to reach Europe. With few safe, legal pathways to seek refuge, they’re pushed into smuggler’s hands to get them across borders and onto the Mediterranean Sea. But European countries have deals with countries like Libya to essentially do whatever it takes to prevent migrants from reaching their shores. They fund the Libyan Coast Guard to violently intercept boats and force people back to Libya where they are detained, tortured, and deprived of food, water, and health care. For those who avoid capture, their dangers are far from over. Flimsy, overcrowded boats often capsize, drowning those on board. Hardly any search and rescue operations exist to find and save these boats in distress. As a result, thousands of people drown each year. So we decided to step up. Since 2015, Doctors Without Borders has been working in search and rescue on the Mediterranean Sea. How it works is that our teams stay on the lookout for boats in distress by using binoculars or by responding to alerts from the Alarm Phone – a hotline for people in distress at sea. As soon as a boat is located, the clock starts ticking. Rescuers must move as fast and as carefully as possible to prevent boats from sinking. Once on board the MSF rescue ship, the medical team examines everyone. Typically, 30% of people we rescue are under 18 years old and 10% are female. People most often have hypothermia, dehydration, fuel burns, as well as physical and psychological trauma related to violence during their journeys. We host activities for mental health and self care, like hair cuts, drawing, language classes and cooking sessions. The final stage of the rescue is finding a place to disembark the survivors. Over the years, countries on Europe’s coast have used different legal and administrative harassment tactics against humanitarian organizations that provide assistance at sea. But despite these odds, Doctors Without Borders remains fully committed to saving lives at sea.
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