Proactiva Open Arms
A Spanish humanitarian search-and-rescue NGO that saves people in distress at sea, particularly migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Proactiva Open Arms is a Spanish nongovernmental organization dedicated to maritime search and rescue and humanitarian assistance. It emerged in 2015 from Pro-Activa Serveis Aquàtics, a Badalona-based company providing lifeguard and water-rescue services. In response to the refugee crisis and a series of fatal sea crossings, the company’s founder, Òscar Camps, travelled to the Greek island of Lesbos in September 2015 with a small group of volunteers. The initial team had limited equipment and concentrated on helping people reach shore safely, but the scale of the emergencies quickly led to the creation of a permanent humanitarian operation. The organization’s first major rescue took place on 28 October 2015, when six of its lifeguards, working with Greek coastguards, local fishermen and Frontex, helped rescue 242 survivors from a capsized and overloaded boat off northern Lesbos. Approximately 60 people died in the disaster. Open Arms subsequently developed a broader maritime rescue capacity, maintaining a base on Lesbos and operating vessels in the central Mediterranean. Its fleet has included the sailing yacht Astral, the Golfo Azzurro and the rescue ship Open Arms. Operations have involved locating boats in distress, providing life jackets and emergency care, recovering survivors, and coordinating with maritime rescue authorities regarding disembarkation. The group became one of the most visible civilian rescue organizations in the Mediterranean. Its work has included rescues of large groups of people from overloaded rubber boats and wooden vessels, recovery of bodies, assistance to children and people with serious medical conditions, and cooperation with naval and coastguard units. Open Arms has repeatedly argued that people rescued at sea should be brought to a place of safety and should not be returned to Libya, citing the risk of detention, abuse and other serious human-rights violations. Its activities have consequently been caught in disputes over European migration policy, the responsibilities of coastal states, NGO codes of conduct, and allegations that rescue vessels encourage irregular migration. In July 2017, Proactiva Open Arms was among the nongovernmental rescue groups that signed an Italian government code of conduct for maritime rescue operations. The organization nevertheless remained involved in legal and political controversies. In August 2017, the Golfo Azzurro was denied immediate permission to disembark rescued people at Lampedusa after an operation in international waters, while the Libyan coastguard threatened vessels operating in the area. In March 2018, after Open Arms rescued people from boats in international waters, a Libyan patrol vessel allegedly threatened the crew and demanded that rescued women and children be handed over. Italian authorities later impounded the vessel and investigated the captain and others on suspicion of human trafficking. An Italian court ordered the vessel released in April 2018, although the investigation continued at that time. Despite operational, legal and political pressure, the organization continued rescue work. In September 2020, after several rescue operations produced a total of about 278 people aboard the ship, delays in receiving permission to dock near Palermo contributed to multiple attempts by distressed passengers to leave the vessel by jumping into the sea. The Italian coastguard recovered those who entered the water and some passengers were later transferred for quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Open Arms also reported rescuing more than 100 people off Libya in February 2021. Beyond direct rescue, Proactiva Open Arms has become an advocacy and public-awareness organization focused on the duty to rescue, the protection of refugees and migrants, and the humanitarian consequences of European border policies. Its story has been covered in the documentary-style film Mediterraneo: The Law of the Sea, released in 2021 and centered on Camps and his colleagues. The organization has received recognition including the European Parliament’s European Citizen’s Prize and an International Maritime Rescue Federation H.E.R.O. Award for an outstanding team contribution to a maritime rescue operation. It remains best understood as a humanitarian rescue service rather than a conventional consumer brand: its principal offerings are emergency maritime intervention, survivor assistance and public advocacy.
History
Proactiva Open Arms developed from Pro-Activa Serveis Aquàtics, a Spanish company based in Badalona that provided lifeguard and aquatic-rescue services. In September 2015, as the European refugee crisis intensified and fatal crossings from Turkey to the Greek islands received international attention, company founder Òscar Camps travelled to Lesbos with three other volunteers. The first team arrived with basic diving and rescue equipment and initially helped people leaving boats and reaching the island’s coastline. The group’s role expanded rapidly because of the number and severity of maritime emergencies. On 28 October 2015, six Proactiva lifeguards using two personal watercraft joined Greek coastguards, local fishermen and Frontex in rescuing 242 survivors from an overloaded boat that had capsized off the northern coast of Lesbos. Around 60 people died. The experience helped establish the organization as a dedicated nongovernmental search-and-rescue operation. It set up a continuing presence on Lesbos and later extended its activities to the central Mediterranean route between North Africa and Europe. The organization’s maritime capacity grew through the use of several vessels. In July 2016, the sailing yacht Astral was donated by Livio Lo Monaco. Built in 1970 to a design by Philip Rhodes, the yacht became both a rescue platform and a prominent symbol of the organization’s work. A documentary segment filmed aboard Astral by Jordi Évole for the Spanish program Salvados helped bring the NGO’s mission to a wider audience. Other vessels used by the organization included Golfo Azzurro and Open Arms. During 2016 and 2017, crews repeatedly assisted people travelling in overloaded wooden boats, rubber dinghies and improvised rafts. Operations included large-scale rescues as well as the recovery of bodies from vessels that had capsized. In 2016, the organization received the H.E.R.O. Award for outstanding team contribution to a maritime search-and-rescue operation, recognizing the Lesbos rescue work. It also received the European Parliament’s European Citizen’s Prize. Camps was separately named Catalan of the Year by El Periódico de Catalunya in 2015. By 2017, Open Arms had become part of a contentious policy debate concerning the role of civilian rescue ships. The Italian government introduced a code of conduct for NGOs involved in Mediterranean rescue operations. Proactiva was one of three organizations that signed it, while other NGOs refused. Critics argued that the code could restrict rescue work and expose organizations to legal action, while European authorities and some political actors claimed that NGO vessels might encourage departures or indirectly assist smugglers. Academic and humanitarian commentary disputed the alleged pull-factor relationship between rescue-ship presence and migrant arrivals, emphasizing instead the life-saving function of search-and-rescue operations. Operational difficulties became more pronounced in 2017. After the Golfo Azzurro rescued three people in international waters in August, the ship reportedly lacked authorization to disembark at Lampedusa. The same month, the Libyan coastguard threatened vessels operating in the area. Proactiva also reported that its automatic identification signal had been manipulated to display a false position, a claim later supported by a comparison with navigation data. The incidents illustrated the risks faced by civilian crews operating amid competing authorities, border controls and confrontations with anti-immigration activists. In January 2018, Open Arms coordinated with the Spanish Navy frigate Santa María in rescuing 329 people, including pregnant women and young children. In March, the organization rescued three brothers fleeing Libya, including a 13-year-old boy with leukemia who required an intravenous line. A later operation brought 93 people to Pozzallo, Sicily. On 16 March, the crew responded to an alert concerning overloaded boats in international waters. A Libyan patrol vessel allegedly threatened to shoot unless people on board were handed over. Open Arms instead retained the women and children it had transferred to its rescue boats. Italian authorities impounded the vessel after its arrival in Pozzallo and investigated the captain and two other individuals for suspected human trafficking. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Médecins Sans Frontières and a UNHCR representative criticized the criminalization of rescue work and argued that returning people to Libya could violate the principle of non-refoulement because of the risks of detention and ill-treatment. On 16 April 2018, an Italian court ordered the vessel released, although the investigation was reported to remain open at that point. In September 2020, the ship conducted three rescue operations involving groups of 77, 116 and 83 people. With approximately 278 people aboard, it waited near Palermo for permission to dock. After roughly a week, 75 people entered the water in an attempt to reach shore; another group attempted the same the following day. The Italian coastguard recovered those who entered the water, and passengers were subsequently transferred in connection with COVID-19 quarantine arrangements. In February 2021, Open Arms carried out another rescue involving more than 100 people off Libya. The organization’s work has also been represented in popular culture. In October 2021, filmmaker Marcel Barrena released Mediterraneo: The Law of the Sea, a feature film based closely on the experiences of Camps and his colleagues. Through its rescue missions, public communications and advocacy, Proactiva Open Arms has continued to frame maritime rescue as a humanitarian and legal obligation. Its history is closely tied to the wider European debate over migration, maritime jurisdiction, safe disembarkation and the responsibilities of states toward people in distress at sea.
- 2021
Mediterraneo film released
[1]Marcel Barrena’s Mediterraneo: The Law of the Sea dramatized the organization’s formation and rescue work.
- 2018
329 people rescued with Spanish Navy coordination
[1]Open Arms worked with the frigate Santa María in an operation that rescued 329 people, including children and pregnant women.
- 2018
Italian vessel-release ruling
[1]An Italian court ordered the release of the Open Arms vessel after its impoundment following a disputed rescue and disembarkation.
- 2017
Participation in Italian rescue code
[1]The NGO signed the Italian government’s code of conduct for migrant rescue organizations operating in the Mediterranean.
- 2016
Astral enters service
[1]The sailing yacht Astral was donated to the organization and became a prominent rescue vessel and public symbol.
- 2016
International rescue award
[1]Proactiva received the International Maritime Rescue Federation H.E.R.O. Award for team contribution to maritime rescue.
- 2015
Organization established
[1]Proactiva Open Arms was established in October after Òscar Camps and volunteers from Pro-Activa Serveis Aquàtics began rescue work on Lesbos.
- 2015
First major Lesbos rescue
[1]The team helped rescue 242 survivors from a capsized overloaded boat off northern Lesbos; approximately 60 people died.
Products and positioning
Humanitarian maritime search-and-rescue organization focused on saving lives and protecting migrants and refugees in distress at sea.
Humanitarian service · 2015
Maritime search-and-rescue operations
The organization deploys trained crews and rescue craft to locate and assist people in distress at sea. Activities include responding to alerts, distributing flotation equipment, transferring survivors from unsafe boats, providing first aid, coordinating with maritime authorities and arranging disembarkation at a place of safety.
Rescue vessel
Open Arms vessel
Open Arms is the organization’s principal named rescue ship in the documented operations. It has been used for central Mediterranean missions involving the rescue, onboard care and transport of migrants and refugees found in distress.
Sailing rescue vessel · 2016
Astral
Astral is a sailing yacht donated to Proactiva Open Arms in July 2016. Built in 1970 to a Philip Rhodes design, it was used in Mediterranean rescue activities and became widely known after a documentary segment was filmed aboard it.
Rescue vessel
Golfo Azzurro
Golfo Azzurro was one of the vessels used by Proactiva Open Arms for central Mediterranean search-and-rescue operations. Its documented missions included rescuing people in international waters and facing disputes over access to a safe port.
Controversies
2018
Italian human-trafficking investigation
Italian authorities impounded the Open Arms vessel and investigated its captain and two others for suspected human trafficking after the ship brought rescued people to Sicily. The organization and humanitarian groups said it had acted to prevent people from being returned to Libya, where they could face grave abuse. An Italian court ordered the vessel released in April 2018.
2017
Confrontation and AIS-position dispute
The organization reported threats from the Libyan coastguard and alleged that its automatic identification signal had been manipulated to show a false position. The incident occurred amid wider confrontations between rescue NGOs, anti-immigration activists and authorities.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Astral rescue and awareness operation
Mediterranean
The donated yacht Astral was used for rescue work and featured in a Spanish television documentary that publicized the organization’s mission.
Outcome. The vessel became a recognizable symbol of civilian maritime rescue.
- 2015Lesbos rescue operation
Greece · Aegean Sea
Volunteers established a continuing presence on Lesbos to assist people arriving by sea during the refugee crisis.
Outcome. The operation developed into a permanent humanitarian and rescue base.
Brand decisions
2018
Refuse transfer of rescued people to LibyaOtherBackground
During a rescue operation in international waters, a Libyan patrol vessel reportedly demanded that people rescued by Open Arms be handed over.
Action taken
The crew retained the rescued people and proceeded toward a European disembarkation arrangement rather than transferring them to the Libyan vessel.
Aftermath
The vessel was impounded in Italy and an investigation followed; international humanitarian organizations defended the decision on non-refoulement and human-rights grounds.
2017
Sign Italian maritime-rescue code of conductStrategyBackground
Italy introduced rules governing nongovernmental organizations conducting migrant rescues in the central Mediterranean.
Action taken
Proactiva Open Arms signed the code while continuing its rescue operations.
Aftermath
The code became part of a broader dispute over NGO obligations, maritime law and whether restrictions could hinder life-saving operations.
- Other Mediterranean rescue NGOs — Several other organizations refused to sign, arguing that the code could obstruct rescue work or expose crews to additional legal risks.
Recent events
- 2021
Open Arms reports rescue of more than 100 people off Libya[1]
Other
The organization carried out another rescue operation involving more than 100 migrants in waters off Libya.
- 2020
Passengers leave Open Arms vessel after delay near Palermo[1]
Regulation · Other
After waiting about a week for permission to dock, passengers repeatedly entered the water while the vessel was anchored near Palermo. The Italian coastguard recovered them and transfers for quarantine followed.
- 2017
Proactiva Open Arms signs Italian NGO rescue code[1]
Regulation · Other
The organization was one of three migrant-rescue NGOs operating in the central Mediterranean to sign an Italian government code of conduct for rescue operations.
- 2017
Golfo Azzurro faces delayed disembarkation after rescue[1]
Regulation · Other
After rescuing three people in international waters, the Golfo Azzurro reportedly waited for authorization to disembark and was refused access to Lampedusa.
- 2017
Libyan coastguard threatens Golfo Azzurro crew[1]
Regulation · Other
The Libyan coastguard threatened mariners aboard the Golfo Azzurro while the vessel operated in the central Mediterranean search-and-rescue area.
- 2016
Open Arms receives maritime rescue recognition[1]
Other
The organization received the International Maritime Rescue Federation’s H.E.R.O. Award for team contribution to a maritime search-and-rescue operation.
- 2015
Proactiva Open Arms joins rescue of 242 survivors near Lesbos[1]
Other
The organization’s first reported major rescue involved six lifeguards working with Greek coastguards, local fishermen and Frontex after an overloaded boat capsized off Lesbos.
Sources2 sources
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