Humanitarian Pilots Initiative

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Humanitarian Pilots Initiative (HPI) is an NGO with charitable aims, with registered headquarters in Rehetobel, Switzerland. Its stated aim is to provide a focus for 'committed pilots and supporters who use their abilities for humanitarian purposes – regardless of politics, religion, ethnicity or nationality'.[1][2][3]

Assets[]

Since 2017, in the central Mediterranean, HPI in conjunction with Sea-Watch have operated a SAR-coordinating reconnaissance aircraft, ,[4] a single-engined Cirrus SR22 (registration HB-KMM),[5] and since June 2020, also the , a twin-engined high-performance Beechcraft Baron 58 (registration HB-GMM).[6][7][5]

Activities[]

In July 2018, Malta blocked Moonbird operations by HPI and Sea-Watch, following an incident between Italy, Malta and the charity ship Lifeline.[8] The Times of Malta reported that HPI had been "involved in rescue of 20,000 people".[8] The blockade lasted three months.[9][10]

In June 2020, during 14 missions, 21 boats were spotted, and more than 940 migrants in distress.[11]

In July 2020, pictures from the Moonbird showed ships apparently ignoring a vessel in distress over a period of 40 hours.[12]

On another sortie in July 2020, observers on the Moonbird gathered evidence suggesting the involvement of Armed Forces of Malta in refoulement by the Libyan coastguard.[13]

In September 2020, the Italian Civil Aviation authority grounded Moonbird; operations restarted in November 2020.[9]

In March 2021, by their own estimates, HPI flew 9 missions, during which a total of some 476 people were observed in distress on 7 boats.[14]

In June 2021, HPI's two aircraft were operating from Lampedusa, on the island of Sicily.[9] Both aircraft were still operational in December 2021.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ HUMANITARIAN PILOTS INITIATIVE www.nobel-righteous-mediterraneansea.info, accessed 20 June 2021
  2. ^ Humanitarian Pilots Initiative Foundation (HPI) www.moneyhouse.ch, accessed 20 June 2021
  3. ^ Projektträger Humanitarian Pilots Initiative Foundation (HPI) stiftungen.stiftungschweiz.ch, accessed 20 June 2021
  4. ^ The Moonbird aircraft 26 November 2018 www.alamy.com, accessed 3 September 2021
  5. ^ a b 7 results for Humanitarian Pilots Initiative (HPI) www.jetphotos.com, accessed 20 June 2021
  6. ^ Moonbird & Seabird Civilian aerial reconnaissance mission at the world’s deadliest border sea-watch.org, accessed 17 June 2021
  7. ^ December 2020 update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and legal proceedings against them 18 December 2020, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, fra.europa.eu, accessed 18 May 2021
  8. ^ a b Malta blocks humanitarian aircraft- Aircraft involved in rescue of 20,000 people not allowed to operate 4 July 2018 timesofmalta.com, accessed 20 June 2021
  9. ^ a b c June 2021 Update – Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the Mediterranean and fundamental rights 18 June 2021 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, fra.europa.eu, accessed 20 June 2021
  10. ^ German refugee NGO plane looks for the living and the dead 25 October 2018 www.dw.com, accessed 20 June 2021
  11. ^ Mediterranean: 'With the Seabird and Moonbird humanitarian aircraft, we have spotted 20,000 migrants in distress at sea' 2020/07/10 www.infomigrants.net, accessed 22 June 2021
  12. ^ Italian coastguard and cargo ship ‘ignored stricken migrant boat’ "Aerial pictures by NGO show vessels a mile away from migrants left drifting for more than 40 hours" 15 July 2020 www.theguardian.com, accessed 20 June 2021
  13. ^ Interview with Tamino Bohm: Sea Watch's head of airborne operations 18 July 2020, morningstaronline.co.uk, accessed 22 June 2021
  14. ^ Sea-Watch Monthly Report 03/2021 www.hpi.swiss, accessed 20 June 2021
  15. ^ December 2021 Update – Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the Mediterranean and fundamental rights 17 December 2021, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, fra.europa.eu, accessed 2 January 2022

External links[]

Switzerland

This article about an organisation in Switzerland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Retrieved from ""