ResQ - people saving people

Logbook #2/23

September 18th - September 26th
Let's start again!
Let's start again!
After the disembarkation of 96 survivors in Trapani, the ResQ People gets ready for the next rotation: we have a small crew change in Trapani, embark the volunteers of the new rescue team, and sail to Licata to finish our preparation. Everyday we start at 8’o clock with a meeting in our messroom, all crew is present and each department – from the hospital to the guest care, from the deck of the ship to the engine room.. – gives an update of the situation, what needs to be done and which help is required from the rest of the crew. Then we plan our day accordingly and we start our activities…but right after the meeting, and before starting each job inside the departments, there’s our daily “45-minutes or so” cleaning time!
Wednesday 27th September
Sailing out
The ResQ People sets sail from Licata with a crew of 20 people, heading to search and rescue zone on the so-called Tunisian route. On the way to SAR zone we train the new crew on board: no matter the previous experience each crew member has, we need to train together on this specific vessel, with these specific procedures, and this particular group. Radio, aerial vhf, spotting with binoculars, medical training, survivor care…theory and practice, all day long.
Saturday 30th September
Rescue at night
Rescue at night

While navigating in SAR zone, we hear a disturbed radio communication: a fishing vessel is calling Lampedusa Radio to give the position of a distress case. When we approach, we are able to contact via a radio a fishing vessel that is leaving the area, to collect as much informations as possibile about this distress case: when was spotted last time? What kind of boat it is? How many people on board, what is the condition of the vessel? And we start to search.
With the last light of the day, eventually we spot the boat: it’s a small wooden boat, with nine people on board. We launch our RHIB and we proceed to rescue them: they immediately tell us that they were stranded at sea for four days. We bring them safely on board ResQ People and we inform the authorities, who assign us the Place of Safety of Pozzallo.

Thursday 14th - Friday 15th
En route to Pozzallo
En route to Pozzallo
On board ResQ People, we take care of our guests: among them there’s a woman that needs medical attention and an unaccompanied minor. While we’re heading to the assigned Place of Safety, we explain everyone that we are going to Europe, we inform them about the procedures for disembarkation and the possibility to ask humanitarian protection…and we prepare meals, of course, and we provide everything that’s needed, from dry socks to hot tea. And we smile. “You are so kind, so kind!” they tell us. But we are not kind: we’re just human and fair. Apparently, this is the first time they meet someone “human and fair” in a long, long time.
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Monday 2nd October
A Place of Safety

At sunset we enter the port of Pozzallo, shortly after the authorities give us the green light to start disembarking the survivors. One after another, they reach our gangway and thank us with a smile, before going to shore: “You are so kind!”. As said, we are not. Just normal human beings, trying to do their best to save other human beings.

People saving People: this is ResQ. Join us on board with a donation, let’s prepare next mission together!

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