As an organisation, we feel a responsibility to act as a window through which the world may witness the otherwise inaccessible phenomenon of maritime migration. To do this effectively we have always hosted independent journalists on board our rescue vessels, who are then able to witness and report on their experiences to their audience. These individuals always come away with a deeper and more meaningful appreciation and understanding of the dangers migrants undertake in the desperate attempts to ensure themselves and their families a better, safer future.
We believe that it is impossible to truly understand this humanitarian crisis, the people who are affected by it or the work undertaken to mitigate it, without seeing it first-hand. Here, Andreas Solaro, an Agence France-Presse photographer, recalls his time on board the Responder this past summer.
Watch Andreas’ interview: