In this episode, we speak with Juan Matias Gil, a search-and-rescue representative for Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

He tells us how the Italian government made it impossible for the medical charity to use its Geo Barents rescue ship, and about the Oyvon — MSF's new, smaller, faster rescue vessel.

He also tells us about the first rescue mission aboard the Oyvon.

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---Show notes---

For more on MSF, visit: msf.org.uk

Follow MSF's rescue missions on Twitter here: @MSFSea

For more on their former ship, the Geo Barents, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Geo-Barents

AND, check out episode 14 of The Civil Fleet Podcast, with the ship's search-and-rescue team leader Riccardo Gatti and midwife Kira Smith

For more on the Piantedosi Decree, listen to episodes 71 and 66

Want to hear how an out-of-date carton of jam was one of the reasons why one of the Aita Mari rescue ship was blocked from leaving port? Listen to episode 12.

OR, read this interview with Iñigo Mijangos, chairman of Humanitarian Maritime Rescue (SMH), teh charity which operates the Ait Mari: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/06/10/europe-will-continue-with-its-border-control-policies-and-we-will-continue-fighting-for-human-rights/

For more on the Sea-Watch 4 being detained for having too many life-jackets, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/europes-criminalisation-of-ngo-refugee-rescuers-reaches-another-peak-after-fifth-ship-detained-in-italy/

For more on the EU's funding of the Libyan Coastguards despite knowing about its human rights abuses, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2021/03/05/eu-urged-to-continue-support-for-libyan-coastguard-in-leaked-document/