Seabird 3
Our first alliance aircraft Seabird 3 is a Diamond DA42. This type of aircraft consumes comparatively little fuel and can refuel with paraffin, which is available worldwide. This reduces costs and makes it easier to use in other parts of the world, such as West Africa, where there is no special aviation petrol. That's important because Seabird 3 will not only search for boats in distress at sea and document human rights violations over the Mediterranean, but will also fly over the Atlantic: along the migration route along the West African coast towards the Canary Islands, where many people get into distress at sea and disappear without a trace.
At just under 175 km/h, the Seabird 3 flies slower than the aircraft currently used in civil sea rescue operations. This is a major advantage: the slower speed gives the crews on board more time to spot boats in distress.
The Seabird 3 is also easier to fly than other aircraft in the fleet, meaning that the volunteer pilots need less training time before they can take off on their first mission!
The Seabird 3 is operated by the Humanitarian Pilots Initiative in co-operation with Sea-Watch.
FAQ Seabird 3
How do aeroplanes help with sea rescues?
Aircraft assist in the rescue of people in distress at sea from the air. The crews use binoculars and cameras to search for boats and alert the relevant authorities. They also document human rights violations by taking photos and videos to record any failure to provide assistance or illegal refoulement.
Why do we need another search aircraft?
A new law in Italy allows the authorities to detain not only rescue ships but also aircraft. To ensure that no operations are cancelled and that an aircraft is always ready for deployment, Seabird 3 is joining the existing fleet. Additionally, the third aircraft will, for the first time, enable search flights over the Atlantic along the migration route off the West African coast towards the Canary Islands – an extremely dangerous crossing where many people find themselves in distress at sea and disappear without a trace.
What are the advantages of the Seabird 3?
The Seabird 3 is a particularly lightweight and efficient propeller aircraft with long flight endurance and optimal visibility over the sea – ideal for search and documentation flights. Additionally, it runs on paraffin, which is available worldwide, making it especially versatile in its deployment.
What is the Atlantic route and why is the Seabird 3 being deployed there?
Because the EU's policy of isolation is making the escape route across the Mediterranean increasingly difficult and dangerous, more and more people are fleeing across the Atlantic from West Africa to the Canary Islands. The route is long, perilous, and barely covered by state-run search and rescue operations. There are few reliable data, but every year hundreds of people drown – and the actual number is likely much higher.
What is the aim of the Atlantic project?
In the first phase of the project, the Humanitarian Pilots Initiative aims to collect important data for the launch of a search and rescue project along the dangerous Atlantic route. The goal is to better understand local conditions and migration patterns in order to support the establishment of a long-term rescue structure in the region.
What does it mean that the Seabird 3 is an alliance aircraft?
As with our alliance ships, United4Rescue will remain connected to the aircraft even after the purchase. Thousands of donors and alliance partners stand behind the Seabird 3 – even if it is detained or its crew is criminalised.
How can I support the alliance aircraft?
The purchase price of the Seabird 3 is several hundred thousand euros. A large portion has already been raised through crowdfunding and loans, but 170,000 euros are still needed. We aim to raise this amount together by Easter. Every donation helps: Please donate here!
Who operates the aircraft?
The Seabird 3 is operated by the Swiss organisation Humanitarian Pilots Initiative (HPI). The operations in the Mediterranean are carried out in collaboration with Sea-Watch. United4Rescue is helping to finance the aircraft and is collecting donations for the remaining 170,000 euros.
