Sea-Watch is putting a new rescue vessel into service: With the Aurora 2, the organization is responding to the repeated detentions of civilian rescue ships by the Italian authorities. Now, Sea-Watch will remain operational even when one of its ships is detained. While one ship is blocked in port, the other will be available to carry out rescue missions. The far-right government’s strategy of limiting rescue operations through arbitrary detentions has therefore failed.

Julia Winkler, spokesperson for the organization Sea-Watch:

“Italy is detaining rescue ships to stop people from being rescued. With the Aurora 2, we are making sure this strategy fails. If one of our vessels is detained, the other will be ready to save lives. By expanding our fleet, we are fighting back against the far-right Italian government’s efforts to obstruct civilian search and rescue at sea.”

In the Mediterranean, speed is a matter of life and death. Every distress case is a race against time. That is why Sea-Watch operates not only the large vessel Sea-Watch 5 but also a smaller, faster ship—the Aurora. The Aurora reaches top speeds of up to 25 knots, allowing it to quickly reach people in distress at sea. With the Aurora 2, the organization is now specifically expanding its operational capabilities.

The acquisition of the Aurora 2 is a direct response to the far-right Italian government’s policy of systematically detaining civilian rescue ships. Since 2023, the Meloni cabinet has detained civilian sea rescue ships in port more than forty times. As a result, the entire civilian fleet has lost more than 900 days of operational time. The Aurora has also been blocked five times already. Italian courts subsequently overturned the rulings on several occasions. However, by the time the respective court decisions were issued, the Aurora had lost a total of 113 days of operational time.

With the Aurora 2, Sea-Watch is specifically countering this strategy. If one of the ships is detained, the other can continue to set sail and rescue people in distress at sea. In this way, the organization ensures its independence from bureaucratic blockades and guarantees the continuation of its rescue operations.

The detentions of civil search and rescue vessels are politically motivated and cost lives. The Mediterranean is one of the deadliest borders in the world. More than 34,000 people have been reported dead or missing since 2014. The actual number is estimated to be significantly higher. With its new ship, the Aurora 2, Sea-Watch can continue to quickly rescue people from drowning — even if one of its ships is blocked by the far-right Italian government.

Sea-Watch is part of the Justice Fleet, an alliance whose members are committed to upholding human rights and international maritime law. Its members refuse to comply with instructions provided for in the so-called Piantedosi Decree that conflict with international law and human rights obligations and are primarily intended to hinder rescue operations. As a result, their vessels are regularly detained by the Italian authorities. In recent months, Italian courts have overturned detention orders imposed on several Justice Fleet vessels in summary proceedings. Rulings on the overall legality of the Decree are still pending.

SOS MEDITERRANEE has welcomed the recent decision of the Court of Chieti in Italy, which fully annuls the 20-day administrative detention imposed on the Ocean Viking in November 2023, together with the related fine and all associated sanctioning measures.

On 15 November 2023, Italian authorities detained the Ocean Viking in Ortona for 20 days and imposed a financial penalty under Decree Law No. 1/2023, known as the “Piantedosi Decree”. The case relates to a rescue operation conducted on 11 November 2023 in the Libyan Search and Rescue Region, during which our rescue ship rescued 34 people from a boat in distress after repeated unsuccessful attempts to obtain effective coordination from the Libyan maritime authorities.

In its first instance decision, the Court clearly confirmed that the Ocean Viking’s rescue operation was lawful, and that the captain “was faced with the necessity to intervene without delay” to protect human life. It also underscored the absence of effective coordination by the Libyan authorities, recognizing that the Ocean Viking was “the only vessel to intervene” to fulfill the duty to rescue at sea.

The judgment also reaffirmed that international maritime obligations under the UNCLOS, SOLAS and SAR Conventions prevail when human lives are at risk, and that sanctions cannot be imposed where state coordination is absent or inadequate. The decision recalls the Italian Constitutional Court’s ruling n°101/2025, which confirmed that national laws on sea rescue must comply with international law. In other words, no national law can be in contrast with the duty of saving lives at sea.

“This ruling confirms what we have consistently stated since November 2023: the Ocean Viking acted in full compliance with international maritime law and in the clear fulfilment of its maritime obligations,” said Soazic Dupuy, Director of Operations at SOS MEDITERRANEE. “Humanitarian rescue organisations must never be penalised for doing what authorities fail to do: ensuring timely and effective rescue for people in distress.” she concludes.

2026 is already among the deadliest years of the last decade. People continue to go missing at sea while the Italian government doubles down on efforts to prevent Search and Rescue NGOs from operating. This week, the Senate began discussing a new migration package that includes Provisions aimed at preventing Search and Rescue NGOs from entering Italian waters, yet another attempt to obstruct lifesaving operations.

On Saturday 16th, the captain of the Sea-Watch 5 was accused of facilitating irregular migration after completing a rescue operation following which the Libyan Coast Guard opened fire.

Despite repeated court rulings confirming the legality of civil rescue operations, Search and Rescue NGOs continue to face legal and administrative harassment for saving lives at sea. People in distress cannot wait for justice while lifesaving assistance is obstructed for political purposes.

Millions of Iranian civilians and Afghan refugees living in Iran have been severely affected by the conflict, which has forced millions to flee their homes across the country.  Essential civilian infrastructure has been damaged, exacerbating deep humanitarian needs, warned Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) during a visit to the country.

“Families here in Iran, both vulnerable Iranians and Afghan refugees, are paying a terrible price for this war,” said Egeland. “Widespread US and Israeli airstrikes forced millions to leave their homes in search of safety. Children are traumatised and have had their education disrupted, whilst parents struggle to make ends meet due to inflation and rising prices. Everyone I have spoken to feels fearful that the war will again escalate.”   

Since the war began on the 28th of February, almost 3,500 people have been killed in the country, with more than 32,000 people injured nationwide. Across Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf, thousands have been killed in airstrikes, with millions of lives shattered as a result of widespread attacks.  

The intense air campaign on Iran – in densely populated areas – triggered massive displacement, with millions fleeing Tehran to seek safety. People who temporarily relocated are now returning, but those whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed remain displaced. In total, almost 150,000 homes, shops, schools, and other civilian buildings have been damaged, and 17 million pupils remain unable to attend school in person. 

NRC calls upon all parties to commit to a permanent end of hostilities. A sustained ceasefire and lasting peace agreement would enable the civilian populations in all conflict affected countries to gradually resume their lives and facilitate safe humanitarian access for humanitarian relief and rehabilitation.

“Civilian life in Iran has been turned upside down as a result of the war,” said Egeland. “NRC and our partners have been doing all we can to support Afghan refugees and displaced Iranians. But we only have a third of the funding we need to sustain our emergency relief efforts.”

NRC has been working in Iran since 2012, providing support to hundreds of thousands  across ten provinces, including cash assistance, education, and water and sanitation. 

“Without further funding, we will have to reduce our emergency relief efforts instead of scaling up for those in desperate need. We only have funding from Norway, Sweden, and the European Union, in spite of Iran being the world’s largest refugee-hosting country and the dramatic impact of the war on civilians,” said Egeland.

“Without proper resources for this crisis response, the lives of both Iranian civilians and Afghan refugees will face severe consequences from this war, for years to come.” 

Most of the four million Afghan refugees have been living in the country for decades, in urban and semi-urban industrial areas where their employment opportunities have been curtailed by the war and the sanctions against the Iranian economy.

“The people I’ve met here in Iran speak of terrible loss: homes, family members, life savings, but also of the traumatising impact the war has had on children. Now, economic pressures are robbing them of their hope for the future. It is vital that we support both the vulnerable Iranian and Afghan refugee population, to prevent a further deepening of this humanitarian crisis,” said Egeland.