Our commitment to being present at sea and supporting people on the move is unwavering, says  Juan Matias Gil, MSF SAR representative

As MSF relaunches its search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean, Its SAR representative Juan Matias Gil, said: “As a medical and humanitarian organisation, our commitment to being present at sea and supporting people on the move is unwavering.”.

On board the MSF rescue vessel Oyvon, the crew includes a doctor and a nurse ready to provide critical care for hypothermia, fuel burns, inhalation injuries, and wounds from the abuse and detention many endured in Libya.

“We have returned to carry out the duty of rescue for those who find themselves in distress at sea, forced to take unseaworthy boats, after having endured deplorable and inhumane conditions, detention, abuse and extortion in Libya” said Juan Matias Gil, MSF SAR representative.

🚢The vessel Oyvon meaning “hope for the island” in Norwegian, has been refitted to carry out vital SAR operations in one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. Oyvon was previously operated as an ambulance vessel in Norway.

“MSF’s decision to deploy a smaller, faster vessel is a strategic response to the restrictive and obstructive laws and practice imposed by the Italian government, which specifically targets humanitarian rescue vessels” said Juan Matias Gil, MSF SAR representative.

MSF returns to the Central Mediterranean to rescue lives, document the stories of those fleeing Libya and Tunisia, and expose violent interceptions and forced returns by the Libyan Coast Guard and other armed actors.