Berlin, 9. September 2026. On Monday, the Italian authorities issued the detention order of sailing ship Humanity 2 for 15 days and a fine of 4,000 Euros. This is the 10th detention of a vessel belonging to the Justice Fleet, the biggest alliance of civil search and rescue organisations which was formed in November 2025. The 1,200 days of detention illegitimately issued against search and rescue vessels since 2023 are a politically motivated move by the Italian authorities, flouting international law and exacerbating the deadly lack of rescue capacities in the Mediterranean, the Justice Fleet criticises.

After rescuing 71 people from distress at sea between August 28 and 29 during its first mission, SOS Humanity’s new sailing ship was prevented from leaving the assigned port in Lampedusa with a provisional detention by Italian authorities on August 30.

The Italian authorities claim that the crew failed to immediately notify a rescue operation to the competent Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre – an allegation refuted by SOS Humanity according to which the captain had kept the authorities duly and transparently informed about its operations.

Still, the Italian authorities confirmed the detention of the ship for 15 days on September 7. SOS Humanity is taking legal action against what it views as a deliberate and unfounded move to obstruct its search and rescue operations.

“Detaining our new ship during its first mission is part of a blunt strategy of punishing civil society’s efforts to put an end to European states’ deliberate neglect of people seeking protection”, stresses Wasil Schauseil, spokesperson for the Justice Fleet. “As search and rescue organisations bear witness and publicly denounce the deadly consequences of such policies, the Italian authorities are escalating their illegitimate strategy of obstruction. While our crews act in full accordance with international maritime law, the Italian authorities are routinely breaking it. We are taking legal action.”

In November 2025, 13 search and rescue organisations formed the Justice Fleet alliance, supported by a broad civil society network. Their goal is to protect international law by challenging the unlawful detentions of rescue vessels in Italy and the EU’s outsourcing of search and rescue to illegitimate and violent actors in Libya.