Open Arms, Mediterranea, and Sea-Watch 3 will return to sea to continue their search-and-rescue operations, the three NGO rescue ships announced. In the absence of the European Union, these civilian organizations — from Spain, Italy, and Germany, respectively — will continue their vital lifesaving mission in the deadly waters of the Mediterranean. Crucially, they will also there to bear witness to potential human rights violations and criminal acts of neglect by the coast guard and cargo ships in the region. The Moonbird rescue helicopter will be joining their efforts.

“We are setting a good example and give a European response to the state-imposed state of emergency in the Mediterranean, which is committed to the ideals of solidarity and human rights,” said Johannes Bayer, Head of Operations on the Sea-Watch 3, in a statement.

He continued, “We do not want to live in a Europe that has turned its maritime border into a mass grave as a deterrent and has its Libyan bouncers do the dirty work. We see ourselves as part of an alliance for a humane Europe at sea, on land and in the air, a Europe of safe havens and cities and communities based on solidarity. As long as the EU lets people drown in the Mediterranean, we will continue to go to sea.”

The three NGOs have published a joint manifesto under the heading #United4Med, which is available in full here (in Italian).

The work that civilian rescue ships do is absolutely vital — 29,523 lives have been have been saved by the Aquarius alone since 2016. The three ships’ announcement could not have come at a better time. 70% of deaths in the Mediterranean this year have occurred since various EU policies criminalizing civilian rescue operations have cut down on the number of NGO ships in Mediterranean waters. The Aquarius is currently kneecapped in Marseille.