WEST Belfast musician Joby Fox's Mediterranean rescue mission is back on the sea after the group's rescue vessel, Mo Chara, faced a three-month long detention by the Italian authorities.
 
During their first mission together in May, Refugee Rescue together with Sea Eye, saved a total of 408 lives, including 150 children, but were subsequently detained in Palermo by Italian authorities while excessive requirements were demanded of the vessel. 
 
Mo Chara was finally freed due to assistance from German authorities, but its time in detention left one less vessel in the Mediterranean to assist boats in distress. In 2021 so far, the number of deaths in the Central Mediterranean are four times higher than that of last year.
 
Now, the group are gearing up to assist with an expected rise in the number of Afghan refugees in the coming weeks. 
 
Refugee Rescue is an Irish search and rescue organization who have gained an international reputation for working tirelessly saving the lives of up to 15,000 people off the Greek island of Lesbos. 

The organisation was formed in late 2015 by Belfast natives and its Irish volunteers strongly believe that our own legacy of forced migration by sea throughout the Irish struggles of famine and violence, puts us in a unique position to offer not only deep empathy but also solidarity with those who must do the same as we did in search of a better life. 
 
Commenting on their work, Joby Fox said: “Our only objective is to ensure the safety of those women, men, and children who are making the perilous journey away from war, poverty, or persecution. They have the right to life.”
 
Over 22,069 women, men and children have drowned attempting to cross the Mediterranean since 2014. 813 people have already died at sea this year. 
 
On average, five people drown attempting to cross the Central Mediterranean route every day, and without any EU funded search and rescue missions, these numbers will only continue to rise as they have done since 2020. 
 
The Refugee Rescue team, along with a handful of civil NGO vessels, are working alone, while being regularly detained and often criminalized by local and European authorities. 
 
With the troubling events currently unfolding in Afghanistan and the increasing number of attempted crossings via the Mediterranean due to the refusal of EU authorities to offer safe and legal pathways to asylum, Refugee Rescue are expecting the number of distress cases at sea to rise dramatically in the coming months.

Karen Cowley, another Refugee Rescue team member added: “At the very core of our Irish consciousness we, similarly, are a people who have had to flee persecution and poverty by sea. 
 
“As a result, Irish culture has spread across the world and has enriched and emboldened many cultures and countries. I believe that, despite our physical distance to the Mediterranean, Ireland should be at the forefront of ensuring the safety of these people.”
 
However, to embark on future missions, Refugee Rescue are in urgent need of funds. You can help them to continue their life saving work by donating through their website here. 
 
Caoimhe Butterly, a board member of Refugee Rescue explained that they hope to aquire their own ship for future missions.
 
“We are hoping to acquire our own Search and Rescue ship, with focused work and the public’s support. 
 
“The ship would ideally sail under an Irish flag and would act as a poignant message to those seeking refuge – that we, as a people, understand forced displacement and the often choice-less choice of migration. We are hoping that a broad cross-spectrum of people across Ireland will get behind this vital, life-saving initiative”