Isabelle Law from Kylerhea on Skye captured photographic records of migrant rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea last month as part of her work with the charity SOS Humanity.
For five weeks between the end of June and the beginning of August, Isabelle (27) who works aboard the Kylerhea-Glenelg ferry lived aboard a rescue ship, assisting with rescues and documenting them through her photography.
Isabelle (pictured during her last trip) told the Free Press: “Over the course of five weeks, I captured everything—from the initial training week to the rescues at sea and the eventual disembarkation of survivors.
Isabelle, who also worked with the HALO trust in Sri Lanka and Volantario global in Argentina, added: “I believe that everyone has a skill they can use to help others.
“I’ve worked with several NGOs to raise awareness about the important work they do. As someone who works on the Glenahuchlish, I’ve always been drawn to causes connected to the sea.
“The ongoing migrant crisis has been prominent in the news, and I wanted to better understand the realities behind it. This opportunity gave me direct, first-hand exposure to the challenges migrants face and the extreme lengths they go to in order to escape the difficult situations in their home countries.”
With SOS Humanity, Isabelle worked on a boat out of Siracuse, Sicily, as it patrolled the sea, searching for, and rescuing, boats in distress.
She explained that the migrants, from Sudan, Mali, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Bangladesh, were usually fleeing conflict or persecution in their home countries and had paid money for space on a small boat. They were then left to make their own way across the Mediterranean to Europe with little or no maritime knowledge.
One of the migrant boats she helped rescue had been at sea for over five days and had had no food or water for two of those days.
She said: “I think the biggest challenge [for me] was balancing storytelling with privacy, working in fast-moving rescue operations, and maintaining equipment in a marine environment are also key difficulties.
“There was also the emotional side hearing what unimaginable experiences the survivors had been through and what they were risking in doing so.”
SOS Humanity is a German-based NGO which has been dedicated to saving lives in the central Mediterranean sea since 2015.
Isabelle said: “The organisation rescues those in distress at sea, offers immediate medical and psychological care, and documents survivors’ experiences to raise awareness of human rights abuses.”
Her photos were used throughout the five weeks on the charity’s social media to inform the public of the situation. She is also hoping to have her own exhibitions of the images and publish some articles.
She added: “I hope to do more work with SOS Humanity, I loved the experience and the organisation. I would also like to work with other organisations that also work with refugees on land in the future.”
Her images are available to view on Instagram as Isabelle Law Photography.
Article by Kirsty Watt
