Emergency partnered up with the global marketing and PR agency Ogilvy to produce a video highlighting the widespread indifference of people towards migrants.

The video, titled "Man at sea," uses the imagery of a lifeguard on a sunny beach who is held back from saving a person from drowning. The clip tries to draw parallels to the migrant situation in the Mediterranean and evoke reactions by featuring people on the beach actively hindering the character of the lifeguard from performing his duty.

The antagonistic bystanders are heard saying anti-migrant phrases like "Who knows where he comes from?" and "As long as they know that there is someone to rescue them, they will continue to swim here."

Surrounded by this group of people who stop him from moving, the lifeguard is unable to reach the water in time, as the man at sea is seen drowning.

The collective of bystanders meanwhile is seen displaying nothing but indifference.

A 'sea of indifference'

In 2023 alone, at least 2,678 migrants have either died or went missing while trying to cross the Mediterranean, according to Emergency, bringing the total death toll in the past ten years to over 28,000/

"Women, men, children, and families drowned while trying to reach Europe to have a future and to have their human rights respected," the NGO said in a message.

"Due to the lack of safe and legal channels, the work of the civil fleet is necessary to avoid standing by and watching" such deaths, the organization added.

Life Support rescues over 1,200 in 2023

The charity added that its vessel, the Life Support, had saved over 1,200 lives in 2023 -- in the face of "Europe's 'containment policies,' the externalization of borders, [and] the 'cooperation agreements' with States that do not ensure safety for those who flee."

The NGO says: "our idea is simple: being sheltered is a human right, saving human lives is an obligation. A safe, dignified, free life is a right."