Earlier history
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2021) |
Between 2007 and 2018 the ship operated largely on the western side of Italy. [9] [10]
The ship Mare Jonio was originally constructed as a tugboat in 1972. [1] Operating on behalf of Mediterranea Saving Humans (MSH), Mare Jonio has been active in a Search and Rescue (SAR) role rescuing shipwrecked refugees in the Mediterranean Sea since October 2018. [2] [3] The project also has the support of the German association Sea-Watch and the Spanish Proactiva Open Arms. [4] [5] The ship is owned by Alessandro Metz [6] through Idra Social Shipping SRL and is managed by Augustea Imprese Marittime e di Salvataggi SpA of Genoa, Italy; [7] Mare Jonio sails under the Italian flag. [1]
Mare Jonio is 37m long (some sources give 38m, more specifically 37.55m in one source [8] ), with a beam of 9m and a draught of 3.2m. [9] The ship has a maximum speed of 13knots. [8]
| | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2021) |
Between 2007 and 2018 the ship operated largely on the western side of Italy. [9] [10]
| | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2021) |
Mare Jonio began SAR operations by setting sail on 3 October 2018. [2] [11]
Mare Jonio was seized by the Italian authorities in September 2019 over a dispute regarding the legality of landing shipwrecked refugees at Italian ports. [12] The ship remained confiscated until February 2020, when a jury accepted Mediterranea's appeal, immediately releasing the ship from seizure. [13]
During March 2020 MSH announced that its two ships, Mare Jonio and Alex would suspend their navigation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [14] Operations resumed in June 2020, [15] and sixty people were rescued on 19 June, [16] followed by another forty-three on 29 June. [17]
The ship was declared to be subject to mandatory maintenance work and has been in the port of Chioggia, Italy, since November 2020. [18]
The crew of Mare Jonio was attacked by the Libyan Coast Guard while conducting a Search and rescue operation in international waters, approximately 95 miles north of Libyan coastline. [19]
The Mare Jonio together with the Maersk Etienne were given the "Seafarers’ Award" 2021 at Copenhagen. [20]
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