Refugees - rescuing refugees at sea

The scale of the problem is hard to measure, as tragically many ships and bodies disappear into the sea, often as a result of unscrupulous people smugglers.

Shipowners and crew encountering refugees at sea need to be familiar with their obligations in such situations and the actions they should take. Maritime conventions, e.g. SOLAS, adopted by most nations worldwide place clear obligations on seafarers who come across people/ships in distress at sea to provide assistance - irrespective of their nationality, status or the circumstances in which they are found.

Once it becomes clear that a vessel will be involved in picking up refugees, the master should contact the ship owner and Gard or its local correspondent. Gard will provide guidance on cover and do its utmost to ensure a smooth and efficient disembarkation. This will benefit the refugees and limit the delay to the ship.

This page aims to help by providing some useful sources of information on rescuing refugees at sea.

General issues: