At the conclusion of Mission 18, our ship Mare Jonio returned to Trapani to undergo the annual RINA surveys and scheduled Port Authority inspections. Here the ship's owner and master were notified of a measure of "warning" issued by the Flag Maritime Authority, which verbatim "warns the company that owns and operates the tug MARE JONIO from continuing to undertake any activity aimed at systematically carrying out search and rescue services at sea". The reason? Lacking the "relevant certification of suitability." Not only that, the document also closes with a threat: "non-compliance will be sanctioned in accordance with Article 650 of the Penal Code', i.e. the law that provides for arrest for up to three months for anyone who does not obey the orders of the authorities.
This is a serious measure. And paradoxical at the same time. There is no doubt that the current government, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Transport are behind this decision. It is yet another chapter in the blind and senseless war waged by this executive against Civil Fleet ships and sea rescue. The document explicitly refers to the rescue operations carried out by the Mare Jonio between 24 and 25 August, in close cooperation with the Italian Coast Guard patrol boats, which in two out of three cases transferred to Lampedusa the people (67 first and then 50) assisted and rescued by our ship, and in coordination with IT MRCC in Rome (the Coast Guard's national coordination centre for maritime rescue) which then assigned the port of Pozzallo for the disembarkation of the last 65 people rescued. While at sea the Coast Guard cooperates with the Mare Jonio to save 182 lives, the Maritime Authorities - on government orders - warn us not to rescue and threaten sanctions.
But even on merit, the measure is completely unjustified: just a few days ago - on 28 August - the Mare Jonio was inspected by the Italian Naval Register - RINA (a technical certification body recognised and delegated by the State for the classification of vessels), which confirmed the Class Certificate, qualifying our ship as 'particularly equipped for the RESCUE service', i.e. search and rescue at sea. The Certificate of Suitability to which the document refers was issued in September 2023, and the non-recognition as a 'rescue' vessel, based on two circulars of the General Command CP, was challenged with an appeal since then pending before the Lazio Regional Administrative Court (TAR).
Once again we are forced to waste time, energy and money to protect the Mare Jonio in every legal forum. Time, energy and money that we are already devoting to preparing the next Mission at sea. The last but decisive argument, as the enquiry opened by the Magistracy into the Cutro massacre unfortunately reminds us: search and rescue at sea is not a 'systematic activity' that one can choose to carry out at one's discretion, but a precise ethical duty, a legal obligation, that applies to anyone who goes to sea. Not to do so, that is a crime.
