MSF shocked as five distressed migrants shun rescue

Five out of 68 distressed people have shunned rescue efforts by MSF Sea.

MSF Sea expressed surprise at the development saying “This is a very unusual situation. Out of more than 10,000 people saved and over 150 boats in distress rescued by MSF over the past three years, it hardly ever happened that a person refused to be rescued.”

Providing information about the rescue, MSF Sea said: “Today, 68 people in distress, including 5 children & a pregnant woman, were rescued by the MSF team from three unseaworthy fiberglass boats in the international waters. And again, #GeoBarents was assigned the faraway port of #Genova as place of safety by the Italian authorities.

“The overcrowded boats were spotted directly from the bridge of Geo Barents. None of the people was wearing a life jacket. The survivors are now safe and cared for by our team on board.

“Five persons refused to be rescued & remained on the fiberglass boats. They had all left the area by the time the MSF team moved the other survivors on board Geo Barents. MSF immediately informed the Italian authorities of the detailed events of the rescues in full transparency.

“This is a very unusual situation. Out of more than 10,000 people saved and over 150 boats in distress rescued by MSF over the past three years, it hardly ever happened that a person refused to be rescued”, says Juan Matias Gil, MSF search and rescue representative.

“However since Nov. 2023, it’s the 4th time we face a similar situation. It’s concerning. It shows again that the lack of safe and legal options & the violence people suffer in Libya leave them with no choice than crossing the sea & increase the risks of exploitation,” adds Gil.

“In addition to collaborating with the authorities, we can only call once again on the EU states to invest in more safe and legal pathways to protect people seeking safety on their shores from abuse & avoid them to put their lives at risk in the Central Mediterranean,” says Gil.