SOS Mediterranee is a European, maritime-humanitarian organisation for the rescue of life in the Mediterranean. It was founded by European citizens who chartered a rescue vessel in order to save people in distress in the Central Mediterranean – the world’s most deadly migration route. Our four headquarters are located in Berlin (Germany), Marseille (France), Milan (Italy)

Rescue is the process of getting a person from a dangerous place, a boat in distress in our case, to a safe place.

Once the survivors have been rescued and brought to the Ocean Viking, the second objective is to protect them until they arrive in a safe place. This protection takes place during the transit phase and must be done in a respectful manner, aiming to restore dignity through simple actions such as providing food and care, listening, and being present.

The third element of the mission is to bear witness and explain what we have seen and heard. The goal is to challenge and sensitize civil society, the media, and political leaders to take action to end the ongoing humanitarian crisis and prevent further deaths at sea. 

The association SOS Mediterranee Switzerland is part of the European network SOS Mediterranee founded in 2015 in France and Germany.