Stories of survivors

Neerav, a 32-year-old father of two from Bangladesh, was among 139 people rescued on November 6th from an unseaworthy wooden boat. He spent over 10 hours on the lower deck with dozens of others, surrounded by fuel fumes and struggling to breathe.

Drissa, age 25, left Mali due to violent attacks by armed groups in his village. On February 23, 2025, he was rescued from a fiberglass boat in the Libyan Search and Rescue Region. His account reflects the risks faced by many individuals fleeing conflict in the Sahel region.

From Lebanon to Libya to the Mediterranean: Mohamed’s survival, the loss of a child, and his dream to study safely in Norway.

Juba, 20, and Hassama, 13, are brothers who were rescued on April 7th, 2024, by the Ocean Viking teams on board a wooden boat in the Libyan search and rescue region. Originally from the Delta Valley in Egypt, they shared the difficult living conditions and lack of prospect for the future in Egypt that led them to leave for Libya, risking their lives in the attempt to cross the Mediterranean.

Amani* is 23 years old and comes from Sudan. He was rescued on the 6th of November 2024 from a wooden boat in the Libyan Search and Rescue Region.

He was among 140 people on a double decker boat which was heavily overcrowded and listing dangerously when the team of the Ocean Viking arrived on scene.

“What am I fighting for? For a future.”

At only 17 years old, Alex* fled the war-torn city of Bor in South Sudan alone. After a difficult journey across Sudan and Libya, he attempted to cross the central Mediterranean on an overcrowded wooden boat. Listen to his inspiring story, an incredible example of resilience.