Humanitarian Pilots Initiative (HPI) is an
NGO with charitable aims, with registered headquarters in
Rehetobel
Rehetobel is a municipality in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland.
Geography
Rehetobel has an area, , of . Of this area, 53.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 35.2% is forested. The rest of the land, (10.9%) is sett ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. 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'.
Assets
Since 2017, in the central
Mediterranean, HPI in conjunction with
Sea-Watch
Sea-Watch is a German non-governmental organisation that operates in the Mediterranean Sea, notably by commissioning ships to rescue migrants.
History
On 6 November 2017, the crew of a Sea-Watch ship rescued 58 people in an operation hindered b ...
have operated a SAR-coordinating reconnaissance aircraft, ''
Moonbird'', a single-engined
Cirrus SR22 (registration HB-KMM),
[ and since June 2020, also the '' Seabird'', a twin-engined high-performance ]Beechcraft Baron 58
The Beechcraft Baron is a light twin-engined piston aircraft designed and produced by Beechcraft. The aircraft was introduced in 1961. A low-wing monoplane developed from the Travel Air, it remains in production.
Design and development
The d ...
(registration HB-GMM).
Activities
In July 2018, Malta blocked ''Moonbird'' operations by HPI and Sea-Watch, following an incident between Italy, Malta and the charity ship ''Lifeline
Lifeline or Lifelines may refer to:
Support, care, and emergency services
* Crisis hotline
** Lifeline (crisis support service), Australia-based, now international
** National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, United States
* LifeLine (medical tran ...
''.[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 The Times of Malta reported that HPI had been "involved in rescue of 20,000 people".[ The blockade lasted three months.][
In June 2020, during 14 missions, 21 boats were spotted, and more than 940 migrants in distress.
In July 2020, pictures from the ''Moonbird'' showed ships apparently ignoring a vessel in distress over a period of 40 hours.
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.
In September 2020, the Italian Civil Aviation authority grounded ''Moonbird''; operations restarted in November 2020.][
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.Sea-Watch Monthly Report 03/2021]
''www.hpi.swiss'', accessed 20 June 2021
In June 2021, HPI's two aircraft were operating from Lampedusa, on the island of Sicily.[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 Both aircraft were still operational in December 2021.[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
References
External links
HPI official website
Sea rescue organizations
European migrant crisis
Immigrant rights activism
Humanitarian aid organizations in Europe
Refugee aid organizations in Europe
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