For several years, refugees have been crossing the Strait in the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Italy, often in unseaworthy vessels. The passage is longer and more dangerous than more recent crossing points, such as those between Turkey and Greece.
According to the UN refugee agency, more than 2,500 people have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2023. Approximately 186,000 people have arrived in European countries during the same period. This is a significant number but far fewer than in previous years, particularly between 2014 and 2017.
During my first year in Germany, I lived in several refugee camps. The stories of refugees coming to Germany were entrancing, and I often listened to their narratives. In December 2022, I had the opportunity to photograph refugees on their way to Europe. I joined an initiative with the organization SOS Humanity, searching for boats carrying refugees in the central Mediterranean. Our goal was to bring them safely to Italy by ship.
Over the course of 34 days, we located and transferred four boats from different countries to Italy, bringing nearly five hundred refugees with us. Most of the time, I tried to blend in and befriend the people I wanted to photograph. Due to the ship's COVID-19 regulations, I had limited interaction with the refugees. People were incredibly kind, especially those from Gambia, with whom I connected the most. Despite the hardships of their journey, their hope for a better life motivated them to endure the risks and challenges.