Stories of survivors

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.

SOS MEDITERRANEE rescue: Kidnapped in Libya, defrauded of $16k, Yazidi newlyweds Samia and Nari still chase a safe future for their first child.

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

Aisha*, 39, comes from Douala, Cameroon. A women’s rights activist, she had to flee her country after being arrested and tortured for denouncing violence against women in the war-torn English-speaking regions. Her exile took her to Russia before she tried to rebuild her life in Libya.

Shararah* is a 25-year-old Muay Thai fighter from Afghanistan. She was rescued with 128 other survivors in a complex rescue operation in the Ionian Sea, close to the Italian coast, on December 15th, 2024. The survivors told our team that they had been at sea for nearly six days, departing from Izmir, Turkey between December 8th and 9th.

Suad, 23, a Syrian refugee, was rescued by the Ocean Viking after a perilous journey from Libya. She shares her story of survival, longing for reunion with her husband in Germany, and hope for a peaceful future.