Newsletter from July 25, 2025:
The pressure on our humanitarian work is increasing. NADIR has been detained by the Italian authorities for the second time in a month – on flimsy grounds. It is an intolerable situation that we cannot support people in need. As a small organization, we are also affected by the costs of this criminalization. That is why today we are combining information about the current situation of NADIR with a direct request for support.
Civilian fleet under pressure
Just four weeks after the first detention of the NADIR, the ship was again arbitrarily prevented from setting sail by the Italian authorities and detained for 20 days following a mission in which the crew was able to rescue 59 people from distress at sea. This Italian strategy appears to be aimed specifically at smaller ships in the civilian fleet – with the help of specially created legal constructs. Most recently, in mid-July, the AURORA from Sea-Watch e.V. and the civilian sailing ship DAKINI were subjected to the same repressive measures.
This systematic obstruction of humanitarian emergency aid and the keeping of non-governmental search and rescue organizations out of the central Mediterranean leads to countless more deaths on this deadly escape route. We denounce this policy and stand in solidarity for the right to freedom of movement!
Criminalization has its price
The worst thing for our crews about this repression is that they cannot be in the area of operation and improve the chances of survival of people in distress at sea. As a small, donor-funded organization, the additional costs of the criminalization measures are also a major challenge. We currently have to finance the following additional costs in order to remain active:
Fine for arbitrary determination: € 3,333.33
We have to pay a fine of € 3,333.33 for the second arbitrary detention of our sailing vessel NADIR. While we are still legally defending ourselves against the first assessment, we have decided to pay the penalty fee in the second case as part of a thorough risk assessment. In doing so, we want to reduce the risk of a possible seizure of our ship on the basis of the Italian Piantedosi law. It will also enable us to resume our observation missions in the central Mediterranean as quickly as possible – in the interests of people in need. We now have to bear these additional costs.
Additional fuel costs: € 1,395.00
The two arbitrary detentions by NADIR necessitated an adjustment to our deployment plan. In the context of the first detention in June, the Italian authorities ordered the NADIR crew to make a one-day journey from Lampedusa to Porto Empedocle (Sicily) in order to spend the remaining 20 days there. To return to the area of operation, the following crew had to make the same journey again. Despite our cost-saving sailing ship, this resulted in additional fuel costs of €1,395.00. It is not easy for us to finance these unexpected expenses.
Additional travel expenses of the crews: € 4,240.01
The forced rescheduling of our missions also included the last-minute rebooking of the arrivals and departures of the three crews affected. These additional costs as part of the operational planning amounted to €4,240.01. We are grateful to all volunteer crew members that they were able to reschedule and that our next crew is already waiting in the wings. At the same time, we have to expect significantly higher expenses for these missions than planned.
Can you support us?
Can we manage to cover these costs with the help of the RESQSHIP community? Any small amount will help us! It would be a very important support if the criminalization of our work did not place an additional financial burden on us. One thing is clear: a human life is priceless – arbitrary repression costs are not!
We are very grateful that you are at our side to help people in need.
With best regards
Nico | Fundraising Team RESQSHIP e. V.
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