'On board: diary of a rescue'. The rescue story in the Mediterranean

What really happens 'on board' a ship rescuing boats adrift in the Mediterranean? How do rescues work? Who are the people we hastily refer to as volunteers and migrants? In the book "ON BOARD. Diario di un salvataggio", on newsstands for a month with Il Sole 24 Ore from Saturday 19 October, Rosalba Reggio offers an intense and profound account of rescue operations in the Mediterranean, offering a first-hand look at what really happens during rescue missions.

On board the Geo Barents, the Medics Without Borders ship engaged in search and rescue operations, the author immersed herselfin the stories of those who flee but also of those who save, restoring a vivid and touching image of one of the most devastating humanitarian tragedies of our times.

The book, published following the author's direct experience in November 2023 during the making of a documentary and a daily podcast, goes beyond the simple news story. The stories of migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty are interwoven with those of the volunteers of Doctors Without Borders through a vibrant and human chronicle of operations at sea.

With an empathetic yet lucid gaze, the journalist describes the rescue operations, recounting the logistical difficulties, the medical emergencies and the emotional intensity that characterises each mission. These are not just technical manoeuvres but acts of humanity performed in often extreme conditions. With her enthralling narration, Rosalba Reggio thus takes the reader beyond the often simplified image of 'migrants' and 'volunteers', showing us the humanity of the people behind these labels, succeeding in conveying not only the facts, but also the emotion and tension that one breathes on board.

"It all started in September last year, from a live video broadcast on immigration. The issue is one of Europe's greatest challenges, although it is often perceived as a problem rather than an opportunity. Attention in Italy is mainly focused on landings, which have been on the rise in recent years (the first seven months of 2024 saw a sharp drop and counted around 31,700 people) but which represent only a residual part of the overall numbers - the author explains in the introduction - On the ship the differences are bird chirps and the distances centimetres. Humanity dwells everywhere and emotions flow like time, alternating between day and night. On the ship one crosses the Mediterranean, but above all one makes the most important journey, into the centre of the human being, among his weaknesses and contradictions'.