A rescue vessel from the Dutch Boat Refugee Foundation will depart from Zeewolde on Friday en route to Malta. The vessel, the Golfo Azzurro, is the first boat from the Dutch voluntary organisation to be deployed in the Mediterranean.
The ship will sail daily from the port of Valletta to detect small boats in distress and rescue refugees.
The ship has been equipped over the last few weeks with fresh drinking water supplies and a medical first aid station.
The former fishing ship has been leased by the Boat Refugee Foundation, and the lease was paid in full from donations from the public.
The Boat Refugee Foundation has been requested specifically by the Italian government to assist in the waters between Italy and Libya.
The Boat Refugee Foundation expects to save 500 people a week through the Mediterranean mission.
The Boat Refugee Foundation said, “Every day, thousands of people try to make the journey to Europe. Not over land, which is much more manageable, as this is often not possible due to the closed borders of neighbouring countries and Europe. Instead they cross the rough and unpredictable sea, a journey of several days.
“The Boat Refugee Foundation is of the opinion that traffickers who organise this journey need to be dealt with. We also think the wars in the Middle East and Africa need to come to an end. Until then, we don’t think we should stand by idly. We don’t want to watch people drown on their journey to peace, happiness, a filled stomach, to safety.
“We choose not to focus on what we cannot do, but look and see what we can do.
“We can no longer delay the response to this emergency request to send more assistance. That is why Boat Refugee Foundation will take out to sea on a specially equipped rescue ship. Not to help people cross, but to save lives.”
The Boat Refugee Foundation will be cooperating intensively with, among others, the German Sea-Watch, MsF (Medecins sans Frontières), MOAS, SOS Mediterranee and Pro-Activa, in order to help the boats in need.
The Boat Refugee Foundation stresses that it acts only on 6the request of the central coastguard centre in Rome, and never on its own initiative.