3/n ‘Madleen’ Responds to Mayday for Refugees at Sea
... Concern mounted that they would forcibly return the refugees to Libya, in violation of international law. The Madleen‘s crew warned them not to do so, but the Libyan authorities did not respond.
To avoid being taken by the Libyan authorities, four people jumped into the sea and began desperately swimming towards the Madleen. The crew then issued a mayday for itself, calling for urgent assistance, but other vessels remained too far away. The Madleen’s crew rescued the four from the water.
Under international law, the principle of non-refoulement prohibits returning anyone to a country—whether or not it is their country of origin—if they would face a real risk to their life, freedom, or personal safety there. The crew has a moral and legal duty to protect those rescued at sea, especially when they are fleeing grave danger.
4/4 ‘Madleen’ Responds to Mayday for Refugees at Sea
The individuals rescued had fled violence and persecution in Sudan, only to face further violence, detention, and torture in Libya. They must be brought to a safe country where they can seek asylum—a country that upholds its international obligations, including the principle of non-refoulement.
Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament aboard the Madleen stated: “We denounce the European Union’s role in obstructing the movement of asylum seekers, in clear violation of international law—an approach that has led to the deaths of tens of thousands and turned the Mediterranean into a graveyard.”
The crew of the Madleen is in communication with Search and Rescue NGOs, who are advising and assisting them, while calling on the Greek, Italian, and Maltese authorities to urgently fulfill their legal obligation to organize a safe rescue and transshipment of the refugees on board to safety in Europe.
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