Dear friends,
it now happened to us, too: at the end of September, Italian authorities detained our vessel, the Sea Punk I, in Lampedusa! We are taking legal action against this, as we have done nothing wrong. On the contrary! We have upheld existing international and maritime law and, furthermore, fulfilled our humanitarian duty! During our third operation this year, we rescued 58 people in distress at sea and brought them safely to land.
If anyone is consistently breaking the law, it is not us—civilian search-and-rescue operators—but rather European states, which for years have failed to meet their obligations under international law to conduct search-and-rescue operations. They are the ones who knowingly accept that hundreds of people and more, die while fleeing each year. Moreover, they now demand that those of us operating in the Mediterranean to assist people in distress at sea, should cooperate with Libyan forces—forces known for illegally returning asylum seekers to places where they face violence, torture, and death. These Libyan forces are also co-financed by your tax money: the EU provides funding for their ships, equipment, and training.
What you can do now is stand with us! Help us raise awareness about the detention—talk about it, share our social media posts, keep following us, and—if you’re able—provide financial support. On top of the detention, we are also facing a fine of 7,500 euros. You can read all the details below or on our website, where you’ll also find the latest updates in our “News” section.
Also, we’ve got new merch for you today, along with a preview of what’s coming up in the months ahead. We aren’t slowing down—not for a second! While we challenge this enforcement action in court, we’re simultaneously preparing our fourth operation of the year and already beginning to plan our missions for 2027.
Thanks for your support—let’s go! 👇
NEW MERCH: YOUR LOVE. YOUR RAGE. YOUR SOLIDARITY.
Does anyone here need some socks? Or maybe a new shirt, a cap, a hoodie, or a zip-up? Take a look at our shop and see if you find something you like. Every item you purchase helps fund our rescue operations—plus, it looks great and shows your solidarity!
P.S. If the item you’ve got your eye on is currently out of stock in your size, please be patient and check back again later. We’re already printing for restocking!
FIGHT FASCISM. SAVE LIVES. WITH YOUR RECURRING DONATION
Dark times we’re in—and you don’t need to look as far as Saxony-Anhalt to see it. A shift to the far-right has been underway for years all over Europe. Let’s stand firm and push back wherever we can: by challenging right-wing populism in everyday conversations, or by confronting the overt racism you might witness on the street. And another thing that really infuriates fascists and racists? When you help us rescue people in distress while crossing the Mediterranean—saving them from drowning.
The best way to support us is through regular donations—this allows us to plan for the long term. Become an amboatsador:a today and stand with us in the fight for human rights and freedom of movement for everyone.
Oh, and one more thing… anyone who signs up as amboatsador:a til end of November will receive not only our boundless gratitude but also a special, sew-on token of thanks.
ALL ABOARD: FOLLOW US VIA LIVETICKER IN NOVEMBER
In a few weeks, we’ll be heading out on our fourth rescue operation of the year. This time, we’re taking you along with us via a live ticker from the port. What exactly happens during the training week? How much preparation goes into a rotation like this? What goes wrong—and how do we fix it? Follow us to find out! You’ll be able to follow the live blog on our website.
OUR THIRD OPERATION 2026: 58 PEOPLE RESCUED, 1 VESSEL DETAINED
The Sea Punk I has been detained. They are trying to break us. They won’t succeed. Solidarity always wins! What exactly happened? Well… On Thursday, September 10, 2026, we responded to a distress situation near the Bouri oil platform in international waters. Our crew rescued 20 people from an unseaworthy fiberglass boat. The individuals had already been at sea for at least two days and were suffering from life-threatening dehydration. Following coordination with the relevant Italian authorities, our crew brought all of them on board.
On September 23, 2026, Italian authorities imposed a 15-day detention of the Sea Punk I—a period that has since elapsed—along with a fine of 7,500 euros, based on the Piantedosi Decree. The Italian authorities accuse the captain of the Sea Punk I of failing to comply with instructions from the so-called Libyan Coast Guard to move away from the scene of a maritime emergency and leave the operational area.
Regarding this, Stephen Schrezenmeier, our operations coordinator punk, states: “During this rescue operation, there was no direct contact with the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. Furthermore, under international maritime law, Libya is not a ‘place of safety’; returning individuals there would be a violation of international law. There is an obligation to rescue people and bring them to a place of safety—which is exactly what we did.”
We are filing an objection against the penalty assessment and the fine. You can help us. You can share our posts on social media. If you are a journalist, please get in touch with us at: presse@seapunks.de. Alternatively, you can make a donation to help us cover the fine and legal costs.
During this rotation, our presence in the Mediterranean allowed us to document several illegal “pullbacks” carried out by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard.
Furthermore, we were able to save 58 people from drowning. We do not know what has driven each individual to flee, but we do not need to know that in order to understand that helping people—ensuring that no one has to drown while fleeing—is always the right thing to do.
Until next time.
Love & Rage
Yours truly
Sea Punks