Help Us Keep Rescuing Refugees in Peril at Sea

It has been a harsh winter on the island of Lesvos. Over the Christmas and New Year period, temperatures plummeted to below zero, with gale force winds and heavy rains lashing the North Shore for weeks at a time. In such extreme conditions, this already treacherous stretch of The Aegean becomes even more dangerous for those attempting to cross.

Which is why our crew remain on call 24 hours per day, whatever the weather. Everything we do is geared towards trying to prevent loss of life at sea and providing a warm welcome: from our spotting operations, to our daily patrols to rigorous training schedules; our volunteers are primed to offer dignified and effective humanitarian aid, at any time of the day or night.

This year is already significantly busier than the same period in 2018. Since we launched this crowdfunding project on December 12th, Refugee Rescue has directly assisted over 1,000 people. The majority of these people were families and children.

During the last couple of months, Refugee Rescue activities have included intercepting and guiding dinghies to safe landing zones, distributing hundreds of pairs of shoes and warm clothing to people arriving wet and cold, and undertaking countless hours of scanning the water to identify vessels in distress. Every rescue and person assisted represents hundreds of dedicated volunteer and staff hours spent patrolling, training, maintaining, preparing, spotting and fundraising before, ultimately, delivering a comprehensive and compassionate emergency response.

Unfortunately, despite every effort, we cannot always prevent disaster from striking. Early on the morning of February 13^th, in the midst of a storm, we received information that some refugees had arrived in a nearby village. They were reported to be in a state of extreme distress, telling the local fishdermen that they had lost someone at sea. With waves over a meter high, MoChara launched to intiatiate a search. It was bitterly cold and the crew were soon drenched by rain and spray, hindering communication with landing teams.

Within an hour, we located the landing point where a dinghy had been wrecked on the rocks. Guiding onshore teams to the site where the rest of the people were located, it was confirmed a little girl had gone missing as their rubber boat crashed onto the shore. We worked alongside Hellenic Coast Guard and diving teams, searching the area for subsequent seven hours, but were unable to locate the missing minor.

"I was approached by a man who began trying to explain something to me. He was incredibly distressed, with tears in his eyes. Someone who spoke a little English attempted to translate. He said: 'his daughter was kidnapped by the sea'. They said she was just 10 years old” - Refugee Rescue Field Coordinator

It was a devastating day for all involved, not least our volunteers stationed in the transit camp, who worked to support the family as they waited for news. It is at times like these we are reminded of how high the stakes are. And that all those times we are successfully able to secure safe passage, this is not something that should be taken for granted.

Indeed, the UNHCR recently released a shocking figure. On average, six people died for every day last year, while trying to cross the Wider Mediterranean. This is a damning statistic. There is a clear correlation between the restriction and criminalisation of civilian lead Search and Rescue and the increasingly ratio of those dying. To draw light to this reality, we recently stood in our home port of Skala Sikamineas, calling for an end to cynical EU policies that are leaving vulnerable people to die at the continent's border.

We sincerely thank you for your donation and your ongoing support to keep the last remaining SAR boat in the region afloat. We will be here, holding the line for humanitarian rescue, as long as we are able. 

With gratitude,

Hannah Wallace Bowman

Programme Director, Refugee Rescue