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Search and Rescue
WATCH: Rough seas and rescue

"If these people had not been rescued there’s no way the rubber boats, the fishing boats,  the over-crowded and wholly inappropriate boats they were put out to sea in could have made this journey. It's not acceptable at all."

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On 19 September, the Bourbon Argos rescued over 900 people from four different boats and brought them to safety in Sicily. 

Since May, MSF is operating on the Bourbon Argos to carry out search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea. 

The ship has 26 people on board (of which 14 are MSF staff), including an experienced search and rescue team as well as MSF medical staff.

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Search and rescue vlog 11: Arrived

"They never have to worry about being lost at sea again"

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Search and rescue vlog 10: A celebration

"We are very happy that we have a port of safety."

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Search and rescue vlog 9: "The whole world knows before us"

"It just goes to show the disrespect shown to these people and how dehumanised the situation is."

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Search and rescue vlog 8: "Solidarity at sea is at stake"

"A rescue is only complete when people are disembarked in a port of safety." 

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Search and rescue vlog 7: The need for a port

"These people deserve to be disembarked in a port of safety."

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Search and rescue vlog 6: A 12-hour operation

"The boat eventually ran out of fuel at the exact point between the Maltese and Italian waters. The likelihood of that happening is very, very slim, but that's exactly what happened."

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Search and rescue vlog 5: “We've had an unusual day"

"Our main concerns were they had no lifejackets, no food, no water."

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Search and rescue vlog 4: “When you see how young they are, it beggars belief!”

"They look so young. I can’t image these boys and girls undertaking this journey by themselves. Travelling across the desert and being in detention in Libya before finally being pushed out on a boat."

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Search and rescue vlog 3: Another boat sighted

“It’s a very short time since we completed the last rescue until we started this rescue. It was just two hours.”

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Search and rescue vlog 2: “They’ve been adrift for 34 hours”

“There were 25 people onboard including six women. We understand that they were pushed out by the smugglers at around 1am… they’ve been almost 34 hours at sea.”

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Search and rescue vlog 1: “The little girl collapsed in desperate pain”

“She had very severe burns on both her left and right upper thigh... When we spoke to herself and her sister we learned that she had been assaulted.”

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VLOG: Becoming the only midwife on board a search and rescue vessel

"It will be very challenging, but I feel ready"

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VLOG: 'There can be two metre waves out of nowhere'

'I spoke to these guys last week, they were terrified. They saw a lot of people die along the way. It’s a deadly route.' 

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VLOG: 'My thoughts after four months on board a search & rescue vessel'

‘Talking to people, understanding where they’ve come from, and the ordeal they’ve gone through, their stories are truly shocking.'

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Vlog: Night rescue in the Mediterranean Sea

‘I can’t tell you how it feels to be searching for 140 people in the middle of the sea… it’s been a real mix of emotions over the last few days… I’m exhausted.’

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Vlog: An MSF logistician answers your questions

'Working in these sorts of environments, you can't really fully prepare yourself."

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Vlog: Night rescue in the Mediterranean Sea

‘I can’t tell you how it feels to be searching for 140 people in the middle of the sea… it’s been a real mix of emotions over the last few days… I’m exhausted.’

Fieldset

WATCH: Rough seas and rescue

"If these people had not been rescued there’s no way the rubber boats, the fishing boats,  the over-crowded and wholly inappropriate boats they were put out to sea in could have made this journey. It's not acceptable at all."