"Over a quarter of the people rescued from the sea early this year were minors"

Finnish Red Cross aid worker Anna Eskola has participated twice in a humanitarian mission on the Ocean Viking in the Mediterranean, run by the Red Cross and SOS Mediterranee. SOS Mediterranee is responsible for search and rescue operations, while the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) provides a range of post-rescue services. In addition to the protection team, the vessel also has a medical and a logistics team to support the survivors.

"Individuals rescued on board the vessel are fleeing war, persecution or other hardships in their home countries, and many also face severe violence and torture along the way. The Mediterranean is the world’s most dangerous migration route. Most boats are overcrowded or unseaworthy. They rarely have life jackets, water, food or enough fuel for the journey," says Eskola, who first served as a protection aid worker and later as the head of the protection team.

The protection team is responsible for the overall safety and wellbeing of those rescued on board the vessel. 

"We register the rescued individuals right away and then inform them about international protection and the asylum process. We also support family reunification and the tracing of missing relatives in cooperation with the Italian Red Cross. Together with the International Red Cross, our protection team uses the Salamat service, which allows rescued individuals to contact their loved ones and let them know they are safe," explain Eskola and our protection aid worker, Sini Rämö. 

Eskola and Rämö were on board the vessel at the same time in spring 2025. In early 2025, 998 people were rescued from the sea onto the Ocean Viking. Over a quarter of them were minors, representing 22 different nationalities.

The protection team speaks with survivors, offers psychosocial support, assesses vulnerabilities and refers people for further care, such as medical attention or other services. The team also enhances the mental wellbeing and a sense of community of the rescued individuals through various activities on board the Ocean Viking during the sea journey that is often quite long.

"Our protection team organises activities like game and movie nights, as well as barber's services. The vessel has toys, books in various languages, games and music available. Our team also assists with other tasks on board, such as distributing food and supplies and using binoculars to spot boats in distress within the rescue zone. If an alert is issued during a rescue of multiple patients and victims, we drop our own tasks and prepare to support the medical team alongside the logistics team," Eskola and Rämö explain.

Psychological first aid is part of the role of everyone working on board

Once on board, those who have been rescued receive shelter, medical and health care, and food. They also have access to showers and are given new clothing. 

"Rescued individuals’ clothes are often soaked with seawater and sometimes with boat fuel, which can cause burns," Eskola says.

The medical team on board is responsible for health care and usually includes a team leader, a doctor, a nurse and a midwife.

"On both of my missions, the medical team leader has been the experienced midwife Rebecca. In her work on the ship, she encounters torture survivors, victims of violence and people suffering from various health issues. Some of the air recipients have never received medical care before. In addition to her extensive professional skills, Rebecca has taught new colleagues how to build trust with those rescued and how to relate to them on an equal level. For some, this is the first time they have ever been truly heard. Psychological first aid is part of every crew member’s role," Eskola emphasises.

"You are safe," says a sign on the ship’s port side, where the rescued board the vessel.

The Ocean Viking rescue vessel operates under SOS Mediterranee in cooperation with the Red Cross. Over nine years, SOS Mediterranee has rescued more than 40,000 people from the sea. The Red Cross has been assisting rescued individuals on board since 2021.