The 9 NGOs involved in rescuing migrants - where do they come from?

agi.it

2 July 2017

There are 9 non-governmental organizations involved in search and rescue activities of migrants in the Central Mediterranean waters. The last 'official' information of their activities were presented and scrutinized by the Senate Defense Commission during investigation of this phenomenon that was born at the end of 2014, after the halt of operation "Mare nostrum". Their presence grew increasingly after the discovery of a ship wreck the following April and is rising in the last two years to the point that currently one in three migrants is saved by the NGO ships.

This is an entity - the Commission's final report stresses - with very different technical characteristics: some perfectly equipped and suitable for operations with drones and high operating costs (even more than 10,000 euros per day), others are definitely smaller. They are capable of ferrying migrants to the Italian coast, but many simply wait for the arrival of a military ship or another larger vessel.

The following are the organizations currently operating in the Mediterranean:



* Jugend Rettet e.V.
German NGO, established in June 2015 is operating the "Juventa" flying Dutch flag (33 m, 184 tonnes) carrying out two-week missions with a crew of 12-15 people. Also provides health care in collaboration with the Italian Rainbow for Africa. Uses Malta as a logistics base.
www.jugendrettet.org

* LifeBoat gGmbH
Established in Hamburg and it operates since July 2016 with the ship "Minden" (23 m), which the smallest among the NGO ships. The ship flies German flag.
www.lifeboatproject.eu/

* MSF Doctors Without Borders
International NGO with Italian section, operates two ships independently, the "Vos Prudence" flying Italian flag and in collaboration with "Sos Mediterranee" the "Aquarius" providing on board health assistance.
www.doctorswithoutborders.org/country-region/mediterranean-sea 

* MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station)
It's based in Malta and was founded by an Italian-American entrepreneur Cristopher Catrambone and his Italian wife Regina. Operates two ships, the "Topaz Responder" (flying Marshall Islands flag) currently not operating and the "Phoenix" (under Belize flag),  It also operated two drones which were subsequently replaced with a plane.
www.moas.eu 

* Proactiva Open Arms
A Spanish NGO based in Barcelona, operating since 2015, first in the Aegean and then in the central Mediterranean. Shares with Dutch NGO the "Blue Bay" ship flying Dutch flag and the "Astral" flying United Kingdom flag which is not active at the moment. 
www.proactivaopenarms.org

* Save the Children
International NGO with an Italian section, operates in the Mediterranean "Vos Hestia" flying the Italian flag. This ship brings migrants directly Italy.
www.savethechildren.org

* Sea-Eye e.V.
A German NGO based in Regensburg, operates since April 2016 the "Sea Eye" (26.5 m) boat flying Dutch flag and carries out two-week missions. Since May they operate a second boat the "Seefuchs" off the coast of Libya.  
www.sea-eye.org

* Sea-Watch e.V.
German NGO based in Berlin, established in late 2014 operates the "Sea Watch 2" ship flying Dutch flag with a crew of 16-17. Additionally they operate a reconnaissance aircraft.
www.sea-watch.org

* SOS Méditerranée
French NGO established in 2015 with affiliated sub-organizations in France, Germany and Italy. They operated the "Aquarius" flying Gibraltar flag (77 m) which is equipped with an on board clinic for first aid managed by MSF Doctors Without Borders. This ship brings migrants directly Italy.
www.sosmediterranee.org
 

Source:  http://www.agi.it/cronaca/2017/07/02/news/migranti_navi_bandiere_soccorsi_9_ong-1917981/