The Sea-Watch 5, a 58-metre-long former supply ship for offshore wind and oil platforms, was acquired by Sea-Watch e.V. in 2022 for 4.5 million euros and specially converted for use as a sea rescue ship. With improved medical areas, a separate rooms different people and increased capacity, it can now accommodate and care for up to 500 people on board. The conversion was carried out in Flensburg in order to optimally adapt the ship to the often extreme conditions and large rescue missions in the Mediterranean.

One new feature is the weatherproof tent at the stern, which serves as a shelter for the rescued people. This tent has a modular design and therefore offers a variety of uses: It can be partially opened to allow fresh air to circulate, or completely closed to provide protection from strong sun, wind and rain. The structure is flexible enough to be partially dismantled if necessary so that a helicopter can land on the deck. This ensures that medical care can be provided quickly in an emergency, for example in the event of serious injuries that require rapid evacuation.

This tent is an important step towards further improving the conditions on board for rescued people so that they can be cared for and protected as well as possible after an escape.

more information: https://united4rescue.org/ photos by seawatch