We repeat,
#LouiseMichel
is unable to safely move and nobody is coming to our aid. The people rescued have experienced extreme trauma, it's time for them to be brought to a
#PlaceOfSafety
. We need immediate assistance.
The crew managed to keep
#LouiseMichel
stable for almost 12h now. Our new friends told us they lost 3 friends on their journey already. Including the dead body in our one life raft, that makes 4 lives vanished because of Fortress Europe... And we are still waiting.
#LouiseMichel
just transferred all remaining guests onto
#SeaWatch4
, who now have about 350 people on board. It's not over: We demand a Place of Safety for all survivors, now.
The obligation to rescue at sea is an obligation under international maritime law. This obligation applies to every person in danger at sea- regardless of nationality, reason for flight or legal status. Every seafarer knows that by heart.
#EU
, you don't respect your own laws
#LouiseMichel
is unable to move, she is no longer the master of her manoeuver, due to her overcrowded deck and a liferaft deployed at her side, but above all due to Europe ignoring our emergency calls for immediate assistance. The responsible authorities remain unresponsive.
These are the survivors you are turning your back on
#EU
. After escaping untold horror and inhumanity they need a place of safety.
@guardiacostiera
@Armed_Forces_MT
you must act now.
The Italian Coastguard have evacuated 49 of our most vulnerable guests. They have also taken the body of the deceased person who had passed away before the crew reached the stricken rubber boat yesterday. May he rest in peace.
To
@elonmusk
,
Believe us, we are not taking a single cent from any European Governments who continue to violate fundamental human rights. The right to a life in safety. Not everyone has the money to fly to Mars. But please do us all a favour and do it soon! And don't come back!
🔴Alert!
#LouiseMichel
assisted another 130 people - among them many women & children - and nobody is helping! We are reaching a State of Emergency. We need immediate assistance,
@guardiacostiera
&
@Armed_Forces_MT
. We are safeguarding 219 people with a crew of 10. Act
#EU
, now!
~350 people rescued from the sea in less than one week. They are waiting onboard
#SeaWatch4
to be assigned a Safe Place.
#LouiseMichel
no longer has guests onboard, but the struggle of the survivors is not over.
#Europe
!
#SOLAS
obliges you to rescue at sea. Open your ports now!
The
#SeaWatch4
has completed the transshipment of about 150 people rescued in recent days by the
#LouiseMichel
.
We now have ~350 people on board who need to disembark in a safe port as soon as possible.
#DefendSolidarity
It’s not just dedicated rescue ships. 25 days ago an oil tanker, the
#Etienne
, rescued 27 people from an unseaworthy boat. Since then they have been denied entry to a port of safety. They have now been adrift for 3 weeks
#allblacklivesmatter
‼️ There is already one dead person on the boat. The others have fuel burns, they have been at sea for days and now they are being left alone in an
#EU
(!) Search and Rescue Zone. Don't let it become a body count. Do your job. Rescue them.
Yesterday morning,
#LouiseMichel
responded to a distress call from
#Moonbird
air reconnaissance plane.
89 people were rescued and brought on board Louise Michel. The survivors need a Place of Safety now.
#SolidarityAndResistance
The
#LouiseMichel
exists because current European policy is to deliberately ignore distress calls and let people drown. States are relying on civilians to prevent mass loss of life in the Med.
Now we rely on them to give the survivors a Place of Safety - and we need it now!
Finally! That’s good news. We want to thank the civil fleet, without whom these survivors would have been left adrift by the authorities. The oil tanker
#Etienne
has now been adrift for 27 days. What about them,
#EU
?
#AllBlackLivesMatter
🔴BREAKING! Finally relief for survivors on board today! They have just been given the news they have a place of safety in
#Palermo
, Sicily; on the 11th day after the first
#SeaWatch4
rescue in the
#Mediterranean
. The 353 people will first be transferred to a ship for quarantine.
#LouiseMichel
just responded to a mayday relay by
#Moonbird
aircraft for a rubber boat in distress that had no movement & was taking in water. Louise Michel proceeded at full possible speed & handed out life vests to ~130 people to secure the situation.
Authorities, your turn.
#LouiseMichel
is currently unable to leave port. Our registration is being challenged as part of growing restrictions imposed on civil rescue ships by European governments. We are working on a solution to get back to saving lives as soon as possible.
#AllBlackLivesMatter
24h after they were rescued, the 89 survivors are safe onboard the
#LouiseMichel
.
After dealing with dehydration, fuel burns and injuries from the torture they suffered in Libya, they have a moment of respite. Together with the crew, they are waiting for a Port of Safety.
After almost 6 hours of non-assistance by the
#EU
authorities,
#LouiseMichel
had to take as many people on board as possible to keep the situation stable. A crew of 10 is now on board a 30m ship with 219 survivors. 33 are still on a liferaft + 1 deceased person in a body bag.
Since 3 days the responsible authorities let traumatized and exhausted people sleep on deck of our ship. The wind is constantly increasing and the waves are getting higher. The rescued people need a port of safety now: this is not only our wish, this is their basic human right
This is how our Mayday relay calls got ignored: At 28.08.2020, 20.03 CEST we were told by RCC Malta that there are "many other urgent cases" ...how comes then
@Armed_Forces_MT
that there are no reports about disembarkations in
#Malta
? What happend to the other people in distress?
#LouiseMichel
was never a distress case, we only deployed life rafts when the capacity limit was reached while we awaited assistance. The crew and guests were safe. That does not apply to this boat out there.
@Armed_Forces_MT
, you can rescue them. Don't let them drown.
🆘 A boat with ~50 people on board, risking their lives to flee the horrors of Libya, is in distress in Malta SAR zone! At 5.09 CEST we alerted Italian & Maltese authorities, but there is no indication they will intervene.
@Armed_Forces_MT
, you have the obligation to rescue NOW!
1/2🔴24h after being told that our ship is detained, we still do not have an official written justification for the detention. We know of dozens of boats in distress right in front of the island at this very moment, yet we are being prevented from assisting. This is unacceptable!
1/2 The Louise Michel is back in the central Mediterranean sea.
We stand in Solidarity with all people on the move, and fight for freedom of movement for everyone. It should not be the task of NGOs to help people in distress at sea.
The MV Louise Michel just refueled after the first successful rescue operations last week and is now going to a standby position, fully ready to rescue.
#DefendSolidarity
#LouiseMichel
Finally, after days at heavy sea all 58 guests aboard the
#LouiseMichel
were able to safely disembark in Lampedusa last night. We wish them all the best for their future. To seek asylum is a human right. Freedom of movement for all.
🔴
#LouiseMichel
rescued another 59 people from an overcrowded rubber boat. Some were already in the water due to dangerous manoeuvres of the so called Libyan Coast Guard, who were guided to the case by a Maltese helicopter. All 59 people are being taken care of by our crew now.
20:34 - Call with MRCC Bremen : No answer
20:38 - Call RCC Malta : No duty officer available
21:25 - Call to Malta RCC : No duty officer available
22:58 - Called RCC Malta : No answer
23:20 - RCC Malta calling us: they cannot send asset, they are all busy with other cases
(2/3)
The
#LouiseMichel
is on her way back to the Search and Rescue zone in the Central Mediterranean.
In solidarity with people on the move we actively resist EU policies that knowingly let people drown while ignoring distress calls from ‘non-Europeans’.
#SolidarityAndResistance
🔴 The
#LouiseMichel
rescued another 52 people who were at sea for 3 days already. We were informed by
@alarm_phone
about the boat in distress. 165 people are on board our ship now. During the rescue our crew spotted another boat and are on the way to render assistance if needed.
🔴 1/6 Breaking: Rescue Vessel
#LouiseMichel
detained after rescue of 180 people. Last night our crew rescued another 67 people from two metal boats. One of the boats capsised, 34 people were recovered from the water at night.
Tuesday early morning
#LouiseMichel
conducted parallel search with
@seawatchcrew
in heavy seas. Due to its speed, the Louise reached the scene first and quickly provided assistance.
Unfortunately we’ve become accustomed to
#EU
states ignoring mayday calls so as to avoid making rescues.
Read Lea’s story straight from the bridge of the
#LouiseMichel
, a record of the continued failures of the states
#AllBlackLivesMatter
Why did we end up in a situation, in which we were not able to move the
#LouiseMichel
safely anymore?
It all started with an official Mayday Relay by the aircraft
#Moonbird
and authorities that refused to act accordingly.
A thread!
1/x
Louise Michel is operational in the SAR area again.
Everyone has the right to safety and at no point should this involve anyone being forced to risk their lives. We will continue to stand in solidarity with people on the move until safe and legal passage is given to all.
1/2 The
#LouiseMichel
is a rescue ship, transformed to assist people in distress at sea and to support people on the move. We do not accept the cruel policies of European governments that are letting people drown for their political agendas.
#LouiseMichel
log of calls to authorities yesterday evening:
19:40 - Mayday Relay sent
19:43 - Acknowledged by LMP radio
20:03 - call
@Rescue
Coordination Center Malta : No duty officer available
20:05 - LMP radio call fwd to Rome: No answer
(1/3)
The recent events in Lesvos are a tragedy, like the situation in the Mediterranean a person’s access to basic human rights are dependent on what passport they hold.
#SolidarityAndResistance
Breaking: The time bomb exploded.
#Moria
camp burned to the ground after fires started last night. ~12,000 men women & children evacuated the camp and are on the streets
🔴 After the rescue of 78 people today, our crew overheard a mayday relay from an aircraft about 38 people in distress. The boat was drifting without an engine. After reaching the position, all 38 people were evacuated from the unstable metal boat. We now have 116 guests on board
There are still 165 survivors from 3 rescues on board of the
#LouiseMichel
. Another 95 people in distress were rescued by the merchant vessel
#Aslihan
yesterday. Both ships need a place of safety to disembark the survivors immediately.
The
#LouiseMichel
has just been assigned a port in Lampedusa. After enduring several days on sea in bad weather the 31 guests will finally be able to recover.
#FreeLouiseMichel
1/2 The
#LouiseMichel
is blocked in Port of
#Lampedusa
. Detained for not ignoring Distress Calls on her way towards a safe port, and, according to Italian authorities, for rescuing too many people.
Last night the
#LouiseMichel
spotted a rubber boat in distress.
We were able to take all 62 people, including several children and babies, safely aboard. Most of them are exhausted and traumatised, but relieved to have survived.
#SolidarityandResistance
1/2🔴Today our lawyers submitted an appeal against the detention of the
#LouiseMichel
. To live a free and peaceful life is everybody's right. To render assistance to everyone in distress is everybody's duty.
Yesterday our crew rescued 59 people. Everyone survived, despite several life threatening interventions by the so called Libyan Coast Guard. This is border policy funded by the EU! All survivors on
#LouiseMichel
,
#Nadir
,
#SeaWatch4
need a safe place now
@seawatch_intl
@resqship_int
We mourn 100 souls. 3 shipwrecks already this week and at this hour still many are adrift, with their lives in danger. We are sad today, but we are also angry. We will continue to resist the racism of European border politics.
#SolidarityAndResistance
🔴Another boat in distress! Today,
#Malta
sent a Navtex on behalf of the so-called Libyan coastguard.
#SeaWatch4
has received it, but they are not allowed to intervene, as all the other rescue ships blocked by Italian authorities.
@guardiacostiera
and
@Armed_Forces_MT
rescue now!
Today,
@alarm_phone
alerted us about a boat in distress, two hours away from our position.
Upon arrival we witnessed the so-called Libyan Coast Guard intercepting the boat and shooting at a person who had jumped into the water.
We do not know if the person was hit. [1/3]
1/2 🔴 After being blocked for 20 days following the last rescue operation, for rescuing too many people, the
#LouiseMichel
is back in the Mediterranean Sea. We stand in Solidarity with all people on the move, ready to respond to anyone in distress.
After more than 2 days at sea, with wind, waves and seasickness, all our guests could disembark on Lampedusa. Although Europe's discriminatory bureaucracy will not make it easy for them, we are relieved they are finally on safe land, and we wish them all the best for the future.
1/2🔴
#LouiseMichel
blocked for 20 days after multiple rescues. On Saturday morning 180 people disembarked on Lampedusa after four rescue operations. The Crew had responded earlier to several Mayday relay calls from a Frontex aircraft about people in immediate need of assistance.
The Louise Michel is back at sea. After a short break due to bad weather, the ship set sail yesterday again. While Europe is increasing its border forces and undermining basic human rights more and more, we stand in solidarity with everyone crossing the Mediterranean!
#NoBorders
Update: Several calls to authorities remain unanswered. Weather worsening. Health of survivors on board deteriorating due to expose. We need a safe port now.
#LouiseMichel
is on her way back to Spain for maintenance and crew change.
We are overwhelmed by all the support and solidarity we experienced during our mission - at sea and on land. Thank you!
#civilfleet
#SolidarityAndResistance
For more than a day now, 88 people on board
#LouiseMichel
await a safe port to disembark. 68 of our guests are unaccompanied minors. The weather is picking up and high waves are making people seasick. We need a safe port, Now!
#PortOfSafety
#SeaRescue
#FreedomofMovementForAll
The Louise Michel is back in the central Mediterranean. As part of the
#CivilFleet
, we stand in Solidarity with people on the move, while Europe builds new walls every day.
#FreedomOfMovement
#NoBorders
🔴 All 165 survivors from 3 rescues and 95 people from
#Aslihan
have been safely transferred to
#SeaWatch4
, a much larger ship that is better equipped to take care of so many people. Once again the
#civilfleet
has to step in where authorities refuse.
@seawatch_intl
#Solidarity
🔴88 people rescued from rubber boat. Early this morning
@alarm_phone
informed us about the people in distress. After several hours of search and a difficult rescue, due to the fast approach of a vessel from so called Libyan coast guard, everyone is now on board the
#LouiseMichel
1/4 After nearly 12 hours of searching, Louise Michel embarked another 44 people from a very unstable rubber boat late at night. The emergency hotline Alarmphone reported earlier about the boat in distress and also informed our crew.
1/5 The
#LouiseMichel
is preparing to go back at sea.
Following the last rescue operation our ship was detained for 20 days by Italian Authorities. The accusation: Rescuing too many people.
The
#LouiseMichel
just witnessed an illegal pull back, of people on a black rubber boat, by the EU supported so called Libyan Coast Guard, in position 34°06.1N, 012°47.5E. We strongly condemn this violation of the Geneva Refugee Convention and the maritime law.
1/3 This morning our crew was informed about a boat in distress. 41 people, including one baby in an overcrowded and unseaworthy iron boat were made stable by our crew with rescue equipment, water and medical assessments, whilst we tried to contact the Italian authorities.
Another pregnant woman and her husband were taken to Lampedusa during a second medical evacuation. The situation aboard is increasingly tense. There are still 58 people aboard the
#LouiseMichel
. A safe port has been requested; we await a response from the responsible authorities.
48 people were rescued yesterday, but no rescue is complete without a
#SafePort
!
The
#centralMed
is one of the deadliest borders, but not the only one which kills. Lives are lost at land and sea borders everyday. Borders are the problem.We need
#FreedomOfMovementForAll
#noborders
The
#LouiseMichel
is back in the Central Mediterranean, one of the deadliest borders in the world. We stand in Solidarity with all people on the move, and against deadly border policies.
#SolidarityAndResistance
#NoBorders
The
#LouiseMichel
is back at sea. We have restocked supplies and are back to stand in solidarity with all people on the move. Against all borders, old or new, and all walls that are being created in the Mediterranean Sea by Europe.
#Freedomofmovement
for all.
📷:
@PVolontaires
Last night the
#LouiseMichel
reached Lampedusa and our 31 guests were able to disembark.
We wish them all the best for their journey ahead. Our thoughts are with the around 65-70 people who were pulled back to Tunisia.
#FreedomOfMovement
#SolidarityAndResistance
1/2 Siamo Tutti Antifascisti!
We are all Anti-fascists!
On the 25th of April 1945 the fight against fascist Italy took a significant turn, as Italy was liberated from fascist rule.
1/5 On Sunday, European Commission President von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Meloni, spent less than 2 hours apparently assessing the situation on Lampedusa.
@vonderleyen
@GiorgiaMeloni
🔴 1/5 Yesterday, the
#LouiseMichel
found an overcrowded rubber boat in distress with 103 people on it. Our crew handed out lifejackets, water and food as we were waiting for the
#Humanity1
(
@SOS_Humanity_en
), a much larger rescue vessel, to arrive.
Last weekends 4 shipwrecks in the Med hit me really hard, I knew one of the over 100 refugees who died. I know his mother though a common friend, for the past four years she has been calling me from Eritrea to ask what kind help there was for her youngest son who was in Libya.
This morning our crew were visited by a so-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel asking us to leave their territorial waters. Far into intl waters, we kindly reminded them that we were not in territorial waters. They answered by playing music over the official distress channel 16.
This morning, 43 people disembarked safely in the port of Trapani. The survivors, were exhausted after being in an unseaworthy boat for 36hours. No one should be forced to seek safety by risking their lives in the Sea. We need safe and legal routes and freedom of passage for all.
🔴 1/2 Breaking: This morning, the civilian aircraft
#Seabird
operated by
@seawatchcrew
, spotted a wooden double decker boat with 78 people on board. The Louise Michel arrived, stabilised the boat and handed out lifejackets.
Our deep respect is with the
@ElHiblu3
, 3 teenagers accused of terrorism in Malta for preventing an illegal push-back to Libya in 2019.
Check for their story, follow the campaign on twitter and of course:
Dismiss the trial immediately & Free
#ElHiblu3
Alerted by
@alarm_phone
about a boat in distress, the
#LouiseMichel
rescued another 96 people last night. Together with
@resqship_int
's
#Nadir
, everyone was brought safely aboard the Louise Michel.We have 113 survivors on board that need a safe place now
📸RESQSHIP/ Heike Ollertz
🔴 Today, the crew of the
#LouiseMichel
rescued 17 people from an unseaworthy boat. Luckily, the Louise Michel could take all of them safely on board before the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, which had probably been alerted by a Frontex drone on site.
#FerriesNotFrontex
The
#LouiseMichel
is back in the central Mediterranean sea, ready to assist anybody in need. We will not accept the continued and increasing criminalisation of people who migrate.
We stand in
#Solidarity
with all people on the move, and fight for
#FreedomOfMovement
for everyone.
2/2 European authorities are fully aware of people in distress in their SAR zone. Still, they block
#LouiseMichel
from leaving port and rendering assistance. Several lives were lost in 2 shipwrecks yesterday. These deaths are not an accident nor a tragedy. They are wanted.
1/4 58 survivors on board the Louise Michel. At least 50 people aggressively intercepted by so-called Libyan Coast Guard
The Louise Michel embarked 58 people this morning from an overcrowded rubber boat. All survivors including several children are treated by our medical team.
On land and at sea – let us smash the patriarchy!
Today is the international feminist action day and a reminder that the patriarchy still needs to be crushed along with its integral parts such as war, structural discrimination, and racism.
#FeministsAgainstWar
#8M
1/3 Louise Michel has left Trapani and is heading back into the operational area. We would like to thank
@RescueMed
for the great support in getting the ship ready to leave port, following the disembarkation of 43 people last week.
The
#LouiseMichel
rescued 31 people from a drifting wooden boat in worsening weather. Another 65-70 people have been holding out all night on the
#Shell
oil platform
#Miskar
onto which they climbed. Maltese authorities were informed and asked to coordinate repeatedly!
1/2 The
#LouiseMichel
is operational again. After a crew change and trainings, our ship arrived in the operational area this morning. Increasing attacks by the Italian authorities, to further restrict civil
#searescue
, have made the situation worse for people on the move.
1/2 Finally all 48 people from the
#LouiseMichel
disembarked on Lampedusa today. We are relieved but also speechless about how people can be denied their basic human rights. As the traumatic situation escalated we were forced to declare a state of necessity yesterday evening.
6/6 During the Disembarkation on Lampedusa in the early morning, we were already informed that our ship is being detained due to violation of the new Italian decree. We still await the official statement and we are ready to fight it, in
#SolidarityAndResistance
.
1/6 The only purpose of Italy's new hostile decree law, by which the
#LouiseMichel
is now detained, is to stop people on the move from reaching a safe port and to keep civil ships from rescuing.
🔴 Early this morning our crew found another overcrowded rubber boat. We gave lifejackets to over 100 people on the boat. Gladly everyone could then be taken aboard the
#Humanity1
by
@soshumanity_en
.