Javier Alvarez / SOS MEDITERRANEE
Four Days After Armed Attack, Ocean Viking Staff Still Stranded Aboard Under Lengthy and Unsuitable Tuberculosis Protocols
Marseille/Milan, 28.08.2025 – The Ocean Viking, SOS MEDITERRANEE’s search and rescue vessel, chartered in partnership with the IFRC, disembarked 87 survivors in Augusta, Sicily, on Monday, 25 August. Since then, the vessel has been instructed to remain at Anchor outside the port. 34 individuals, including 25 people between SOS MEDITERRANEE and IFRC staff, as well as 9 people from the marine crew, have been stranded aboard and have not yet been permitted to step ashore or receive the essential assistance required.
During disembarkation, one survivor—an unaccompanied minor—was placed in isolation by USMAF (the Italian health authorities responsible for sanitary assessment upon arrival) and tested for tuberculosis (TB), yielding a positive result. The case had been earlier identified by SOS MEDITERRANEE-IFRC medical staff on board, who had activated the isolation procedure- as foreseen in our medical guidelines- and referred the patient to Italian health authorities for medical follow-up upon arrival. Consequently, the Italian health authorities did not grant “free pratique” to the MV Ocean Viking —a declaration necessary for permitting the crew to disembark following certification that the vessel is free from infectious diseases by the competent health authorities-.
The other survivors are in a temporary camp at Augusta port, likely staying until the end of their quarantine period. Colleagues from the EUAA (European Asylum Agency) and IRC (International Rescue Committee) were present yesterday to provide support and share information. We have been informed that the camp is equipped with air conditioning, chemical toilets, and camp beds. They have access to Wi-Fi to contact their families.
On Wednesday, 27 August, Italian health personnel boarded the Ocean Viking at 11:19 a.m. to administer the Mantoux test (tuberculin skin test) to all crew members. Results from the Mantoux test require between 48 and 72 hours and are currently expected between tomorrow, Friday, 29 August, and Saturday, 30 August. Individuals vaccinated with BCG vaccine may yield a positive reaction; in such cases, USMAF has informed us that those with positive results will undergo a chest X-ray to exclude active infection.
We are deeply concerned about this situation, as the rationale for such a protracted procedure remains unclear and inconsistent with international medical standards on TB prevention and treatment. The survivor was immediately isolated on board by our crew, with interactions minimised and PPE used at all times, before being referred to USMAF as per established practice.
The Mantoux tests were conducted less than 96 hours after first contact, a time frame in which infection cannot be detected. International guidelines, such as European Union Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ESTC) recognise that skin testing immediately after exposure is medically meaningless, as the immune response only becomes detectable weeks later. Moreover, the test was applied universally rather than based on actual risk: scientific evidence and guidelines from the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and ECDC show that significant transmission requires prolonged, unprotected exposure, which did not occur in this case.
Despite this, our crew remains confined onboard. According to WHO guidance, isolation or quarantine is justified only for persons with active infectious TB or genuine high-risk contacts, and must always be the least restrictive measure possible. The current confinement therefore lacks both medical justification and ethical basis.
Our efforts remain focused on supporting our team aboard the vessel—even remotely—as they endure this situation, alongside ongoing trauma from the recent attack by the Libyan Coast Guard. Nonetheless, their swift disembarkation is imperative to enable them to access psychological assistance and to ensure their transfer to an environment unconnected with their recent traumatic experience. “After the Libyan Coastguard shot at our team last Sunday, we are now forced to endure this unjustified isolation on board,” declares Angelo Selim, Search and Rescue Coordinator on board the Ocean Viking. “This is happening at the very place where this life-threatening incident took place, preventing us from distancing ourselves physically and mentally from the traumatising event,” he concludes.
