Stillness and quiet in a corner of the port Badalona . It’s a weekday morning and there is very little movement. Only in a corner of the pier, next to the entrance, the activity is frantic. Putting the finishing touches to set sail, the team Proactiva Open Arms prepares the new ‘crown jewel’ of this NGO dedicated to maritime rescue.
This is the Astral, motor yacht of 30 meters in length which was designed by US naval school in 1970 and, after spending to private hands, it was adapted to recreational boating. Now the Astral, is about to release his new life: A rescue boat.
If time allows, the boat set sail Monday Badalona bound to Sicily channel . There, 12 nautical miles off the Libyan coast, will ‘guard’ for “locate, protect and evacuate if necessary” refugees attempting the journey to Europe in rickety boats.
This is a route especially long and dangerous , where only the 2016 have died and more than 2,400 people, and has increased its influx considerably in recent weeks after the agreement between the EU and Turkey meant the decline of entries by sea to Europe via the Greek islands.
A mission in the Sicilian Channel
The new mission it is huge. The Sicilian Channel is a huge tongue of water between Libya and the islands of Sardinia and Malta, very different from the Greek island of Lesbos where Proactiva Open Arms has been working so far and where helped in nine months 1450.000 refugees.
But energy director of this NGO badalonesa is the best guarantee that nothing will drive them away: “What we will not do it is to stay at home arms crossed while people die in the water. We have the determination and the best professionals necessary, to find the needle in the haystack, if you want to define as well, “says Oscar Campos when asked about the immensity of the Canal of Sicily.
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the boat has been given to Proactiva Open Arms for businessman of Italian origin, Livio Lomónaco which explains why it had an epiphany while sailing a few months ago: “they sent me a photograph of a boatload of refugees while sailing. I immediately thought that could it be that I was taking a coffee in the same sea where was dying people “.
Rescue and Healthcare
The Astral has been remodeled in its entirety, a budget of 300,000 euros, to provide it with all navigation systems, rescue and health care necessary to carry out the location and rescues.
its homeport will be Malta strong & gt; and will stay 10 days at sea with a crew of between 8 and 10 people. If it were the case, could get to climb aboard up to 150 people rescued . and most importantly: leading medical equipment to care for hypothermia to revivals and attend parties.
Thanks to @PROACTIVA_SERV @campsoscar and everyone who has made this possible, bone give all my strength and support https: //t.co/HWZ9AOBnRt
– Livio Monaco (@LoMonacoLivio) June 17, 2016
“Hopefully with this gesture opens a new way of thinking about humanitarian aid,” says the entrepreneur Livio Lomónaco. “Hopefully this vessel serve to save even one life,” he adds.
Ara.Cat
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