Press Release 11th of May 2025: After three days of distress in the Mediterranean, the NADIR crew evacuates numerous injured people and provides first aid to survivors. Help comes too late for two small children and another person.
The crew of the civilian ship NADIR evacuated 62 people from an unmanoeuvrable rubber boat south of Lampedusa on Saturday. Two infants were already dead. Another person died despite resuscitation efforts. Some of the survivors were seriously injured. Two babies and two adults were later medically evacuated by the Italian Coast Guard. After hours of care on board, the NADIR brought the survivors safely to Lampedusa.
At around 1pm on May 10th, the crew of the NADIR, operated by the German association RESQSHIP, heard a radio message from a Frontex aircraft about a boat in distress in the Maltese Search and Rescue (SAR) region. On board were 62 people, including 17 women, two babies and four small children. The rubber boat had left Zawiyah (Libya) three days earlier. With the engine having failed two days prior, the people were exposed to wind and weather.
By the time the NADIR reached the rubber boat at around 4.30pm, it was too late to help some of the people. “When we started the rescue, two lifeless bodies of infants aged 3 and 4 were handed over to us“, says Rania, a paramedic on board the NADIR. “They had died the day before, probably of thirst.” According to the survivors, one person had already gone overboard and drowned the day before. During the evacuation of all people onto NADIR, an unconscious man was also found and resuscitated in vain for 30 minutes after going into cardiac arrest.
The Italian Coast Guard, requested for assistance arrived at around 8.45pm with a boat that was already full of survivors from previous operations. The vessel was only able to take over the two babies with their mothers and two other seriously injured people from Nadir and bring them to Lampedusa. The conditions of the two children and the adults were critical.
Many of the remaining survivors on board the NADIR had suffered severe chemical burns: “Many had extensive burns from the toxic mixture of salt water and fuel”, reports Hannah, a doctor on board the NADIR. “Women were particularly affected because they were sitting inside the zodiac where the liquid accumulates.”
The crew of the NADIR spent hours providing medical care, stabilising the affected people as far as possible and setting course for the assigned Port of Safety in Lampedusa. At 4am, NADIR reached the island, where the survivors were able to disembark. The bodies of the deceased were handed over to the authorities.
This tragedy could have been avoided. It is yet another example of the failure of European migration policies. Instead of providing protection, it systematically and illegally forces people on the move (back) to places where they face torture, sexual violence and exploitation. Instead of coordinating support and facilitating safe passages, Europe is abandoning defenceless people – with deadly consequences. Children dying of thirst on the move is an inexcusable political failure.
Credits: Sea Watch // Bahar Kaygusuz
Credits: RESQSHIP
Pressekontakt: Paula Gaess
E-Mail: presse@resqship.org, Tel.: +49 176 43329804
