Survivors of the sea

In June, more than 500 people disappeared into the Mediterranean Sea in a single shipwreck off the coast of Greece. It was a tragic reminder that the global migration crisis is far from over. These snapshots of survival were collected aboard the Geo Barents from people Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières rescued between 2022 and 2023.

The sinking in June was not an isolated incident. Nearly 10,000 people have been rescued by MSF teams aboard our search and rescue ship Geo Barents, despite increasing difficulty reaching people in need due to European Union policies.

In February, MSF lodged an appeal against the illegitimate detention of our rescue ship by Italian authorities. In July, we filed a complaint with the European Commission against legislation inhibiting humanitarian rescue operations. And in August, we released a report documenting allegations of abuses by French authorities against migrants we assisted between February and June 2023.

Beyond legalities and numbers, these rescues are about people risking everything for a chance at safety and stability. Many have fled conflict or persecution in their home countries, and most have passed through Libya, experiencing detention, torture, kidnappings, and other dangers targeting migrants. Yet after a harrowing journey, hope survives.