This article originally appeared on VICE Germany.One thousand eight hundred and seventy five. That’s the number of people who drowned in the Mediterranean between January and June of 2023, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). It’s a sharp rise compared to 2022, which saw 1,400 deaths – and this estimate doesn’t even take into account the second half of the year.
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The humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean sea has been with us for eight years now, much to the indifference of European politicians and audiences. The only organisations consistently committed to rescuing people at sea are NGOs like SOS Humanity, whose life-saving work is made more difficult by European authorities everyday. Photographer Raphael Schumacher followed SOS Humanity on the ship Humanity 1 for a month, from mid-June to mid-July 2023. Schumacher’s time on the ship was short but incredibly intense. His photos offer a small glimpse into the traumatic experience of refugees lost at sea, as well as the daily lives of those trying to rescue them.VICE: Where did you shoot these photos?
Raphael Schumacher: We set sail from Humanity 1's home port in Syracuse [Sicily]. From there, we sailed towards Tunisia and stayed in international waters – that's where most of the photos were taken.How many refugee boats did you come across during that time?
Nine. That may not sound like much, but we were able to save 400 lives on this mission.
Raphael Schumacher: We set sail from Humanity 1's home port in Syracuse [Sicily]. From there, we sailed towards Tunisia and stayed in international waters – that's where most of the photos were taken.How many refugee boats did you come across during that time?
Nine. That may not sound like much, but we were able to save 400 lives on this mission.
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Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Were you onboard as a photographer or rescuer?
Both. Half of the crew are professionals and the other half are volunteers trained on the important things to know on board. We had a doctor, a midwife, a psychologist and a translator. I went along as a photographer, but I also helped 80 percent of the time. I had little time for artistic expression. I couldn't set up a picture or plan the themes. I just shot from the hip [at waist level without looking down the lens] when the time was right.How does a typical rescue work?
We do rounds in an area where there might be refugee boats. When we find a boat, we leave the mother ship and board smaller rescue boats. When we’re close enough to the refugees, we introduce ourselves, hand over life jackets and bring them to safety.
Both. Half of the crew are professionals and the other half are volunteers trained on the important things to know on board. We had a doctor, a midwife, a psychologist and a translator. I went along as a photographer, but I also helped 80 percent of the time. I had little time for artistic expression. I couldn't set up a picture or plan the themes. I just shot from the hip [at waist level without looking down the lens] when the time was right.How does a typical rescue work?
We do rounds in an area where there might be refugee boats. When we find a boat, we leave the mother ship and board smaller rescue boats. When we’re close enough to the refugees, we introduce ourselves, hand over life jackets and bring them to safety.
Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Do you take them to a nearby harbour?
I wish. After a rescue has been reported, the authorities assign a “safe port”, which is basically never the nearest one. Travelling to these safe havens sometimes takes up to four days.When we finally arrive, the people we’ve rescued leave the ship and we do the four-day journey back – that's eight days we can't help anyone else. It's a completely absurd process, but there's nothing we can do. If we were to act against the regulations, it’d be illegal.
I wish. After a rescue has been reported, the authorities assign a “safe port”, which is basically never the nearest one. Travelling to these safe havens sometimes takes up to four days.When we finally arrive, the people we’ve rescued leave the ship and we do the four-day journey back – that's eight days we can't help anyone else. It's a completely absurd process, but there's nothing we can do. If we were to act against the regulations, it’d be illegal.
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Photo: Raphael Schumacher
What impression did the people you rescued leave on you?
Largely traumatised – not from crossing the Mediterranean, but about their time before that, in their home countries. At their stopovers in Tunisia and Libya, these people were systematically persecuted and beaten up. Basically, they’ve all experienced a lot of suffering.Many want to talk about it, but some people have completely repressed traumatic events and can barely remember. Others are simply very sad. Some are relieved they’ve been rescued from the sea. Everybody is hopeful. If you ask them what they want for the future, they all say: “peace”.
Largely traumatised – not from crossing the Mediterranean, but about their time before that, in their home countries. At their stopovers in Tunisia and Libya, these people were systematically persecuted and beaten up. Basically, they’ve all experienced a lot of suffering.Many want to talk about it, but some people have completely repressed traumatic events and can barely remember. Others are simply very sad. Some are relieved they’ve been rescued from the sea. Everybody is hopeful. If you ask them what they want for the future, they all say: “peace”.
Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Is there a particular moment that still haunts you?
Once we came across a refugee boat in the middle of the night. It was around midnight and the sea was really stormy, the waves were huge. Luckily we found the boat, otherwise the people on it probably wouldn't have survived. I was just about to take a quick breather and rest, then suddenly the boat was in front of us in the middle of the storm.We quickly got onto our speedboats, and the waves were so tall, we didn't even hand out life jackets. Usually, that’s the first thing we do, but if the people on the boat had leaned forward, they might’ve capsized it. We usually explain the situation to them, too, but that night we just pulled everyone onto our lifeboats as quickly as possible.There was a woman who was nine months pregnant. I looked at her round belly and how she was sitting there in the middle of the sea in this boat, surrounded by huge waves. As soon as the woman was safe, she went into labour. She was then evacuated and brought onto [the Italian island of] Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard.
Once we came across a refugee boat in the middle of the night. It was around midnight and the sea was really stormy, the waves were huge. Luckily we found the boat, otherwise the people on it probably wouldn't have survived. I was just about to take a quick breather and rest, then suddenly the boat was in front of us in the middle of the storm.We quickly got onto our speedboats, and the waves were so tall, we didn't even hand out life jackets. Usually, that’s the first thing we do, but if the people on the boat had leaned forward, they might’ve capsized it. We usually explain the situation to them, too, but that night we just pulled everyone onto our lifeboats as quickly as possible.There was a woman who was nine months pregnant. I looked at her round belly and how she was sitting there in the middle of the sea in this boat, surrounded by huge waves. As soon as the woman was safe, she went into labour. She was then evacuated and brought onto [the Italian island of] Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard.
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Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Do you know how the woman is today?
No, I don't know anything about anyone we rescued. As soon as people get on our ship, they receive a number – everything is done anonymously. From an admin perspective, it’d be too complicated to record everyone by name. This way we protect their personal rights, too. When they leave the ship, they’re assigned a new number by the Italian authorities. That's why my photo series is called All Numbers End. If everyone is just a number, of course they’re totally dehumanised.Which photo from the series hit you the hardest?
I find the black and white photo of the refugee whose eyes are wide open very powerful – it really triggers me. I’ve seen this expression on people's faces so often, I can't even pinpoint a clear emotion it. Sometimes people looked like that when they were panic-stricken, sometimes when they were totally relieved and sometimes when they were euphoric. Either way, people look like that when they’re feeling something very intense.
No, I don't know anything about anyone we rescued. As soon as people get on our ship, they receive a number – everything is done anonymously. From an admin perspective, it’d be too complicated to record everyone by name. This way we protect their personal rights, too. When they leave the ship, they’re assigned a new number by the Italian authorities. That's why my photo series is called All Numbers End. If everyone is just a number, of course they’re totally dehumanised.Which photo from the series hit you the hardest?
I find the black and white photo of the refugee whose eyes are wide open very powerful – it really triggers me. I’ve seen this expression on people's faces so often, I can't even pinpoint a clear emotion it. Sometimes people looked like that when they were panic-stricken, sometimes when they were totally relieved and sometimes when they were euphoric. Either way, people look like that when they’re feeling something very intense.
Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Why did you pick this topic?
I wanted to highlight that this is a man-made tragedy. I think our brains switch off at some point when they’re presented with the same message over and over again. But people are dying in the Mediterranean every day. These are the consequences of the EU's inhumane policies. I hope that my photos provide a more human perspective to the anonymous numbers of refugees.
I wanted to highlight that this is a man-made tragedy. I think our brains switch off at some point when they’re presented with the same message over and over again. But people are dying in the Mediterranean every day. These are the consequences of the EU's inhumane policies. I hope that my photos provide a more human perspective to the anonymous numbers of refugees.
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Has anything changed in you after being part of this sea rescue operation?
I realised the futility of my own worries. While I was on the ship, I was told I had to pay back some tax which really annoyed me for a moment and then I thought: ‘Wait, this is totally irrelevant. These are all not real problems.’ I realised I was really lucky to have been born where I was.I feel a bit out of place in general since the end of the mission. I had two calls today with former crew members who’re still struggling and trying to somehow process everything – even weeks later. These are experiences that don't let you go so quickly.Scroll down to see more photos in the series:
I realised the futility of my own worries. While I was on the ship, I was told I had to pay back some tax which really annoyed me for a moment and then I thought: ‘Wait, this is totally irrelevant. These are all not real problems.’ I realised I was really lucky to have been born where I was.I feel a bit out of place in general since the end of the mission. I had two calls today with former crew members who’re still struggling and trying to somehow process everything – even weeks later. These are experiences that don't let you go so quickly.Scroll down to see more photos in the series:
Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Photo: Raphael Schumacher
Photo: Raphael Schumacher