Onboard a rescue ship on the deadliest migration route to Europe

I have lived on Humanity 1 for eleven days. The German NGO SOS Humanity invited me on their rescue ship as record numbers of migrants attempt to reach European shores. My mission was to tell the story of a rescue from the inside. The stories of those who make it happen and those who flee.

There are thirteen nationalities of highly skilled professionals onboard. What brings them onboard?

"I have been travelling between borders since 2015 as a volunteer in the beginning." Explains Italian protection officer Sara. 

"After several years' experience in Greece, on the border with Turkey, I felt the need to also better understand the central Mediterranean border. As an anthropologist, I think it is really important to take care of these people in a concrete way." Sara continues. 

Five days into our journey, we wake up navigating across the deadliest migration route towards Europe, the central Mediterranean route. This description comes from a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),  which says that one in six people who depart the shores of North Africa on small boats, do not survive their journeys. 

We spotted a boat in distress two days later.

The crew rescued 57 people, mainly from Bangladesh. They had left Libya the night before the rescue.

Youssef, this is not his real name, has tried to reach Italy many times.

“My family and I thought about immigrating to Italy. We travelled in an 8 or 9-metre boat, but Libyan militias stopped us. They attacked the boat mercilessly. They rammed into us mercilessly. They took us to prison.”

This time Youssef left his wife and his children in Libya.

Since 2014, over 22,000 people have died or gone missing trying to cross the central Mediterranean route. This year,