Directed by Markus Goller, the film is inspired by the story of Jugend Rettet ("Youth Rescues"), a German non-governmental organization founded in 2015 by volunteers with no previous maritime rescue experience. Disturbed by the growing number of deaths along one of the world's deadliest migration routes, they launched a crowdfunding campaign to purchase a rescue vessel and begin operations in the Central Mediterranean.
—Courtesy of Netflix
Unlike larger humanitarian ships, the Iuventa functioned primarily as a first responder. Operating as close as possible to the Libyan search-and-rescue zone, its crew deployed fast rigid inflatable boats (RHIBs) to reach overcrowded inflatable dinghies before larger rescue vessels could arrive.
More than 23,000 people rescued
Medial care aboard the Iuventa —Courtesy of NetflixBetween 2016 and 2017, the Iuventa completed 16 rescue missions. During those operations, the crew assisted 175 boats and participated in the rescue of more than 23,000 people, the figure that ultimately inspired the movie’s title.
Volunteers regularly treated dehydration, hypothermia, fuel burns caused by leaking gasoline mixed with seawater, circulatory collapse, near-drowning incidents, aspiration injuries, and pregnancy-related emergencies.
The organization's activities unfolded during an increasingly contentious political debate over migration in Europe. Jugend Rettet openly acknowledged that its work conflicted with policies designed to discourage irregular crossings.
According to Jugend Rettet, accusations that NGOs were collaborating with smugglers became part of a broader campaign to restrict migration routes into Europe, involving state institutions, sections of the media, private security contractors, and anti-immigration political groups.
The investigation begins
—Courtesy of NetflixMonths later, in May 2017, during one of the Mediterranean's largest rescue operations, Italian maritime authorities ordered the Iuventa to leave the rescue zone. On August 2, 2017, Italian authorities lured the vessel into docking in Lampedusa before transferring it to the Sicilian port of Trapani, where it was seized.
Ten crew members became the focus of a criminal investigation that would stretch on for years.
As the proceedings advanced, the prosecution's evidence steadily became less compelling in the face of witness testimony. Key witnesses who had monitored NGO rescue ships contradicted both their earlier statements and one another when they finally testified in court.
On April 19, 2024, the Court of Trapani dismissed the case, ruling there were no grounds to proceed. In its written decision, the judge found that the investigation relied on incomplete evidence, interpreted facts from a one-sided perspective, and treated uncertain information as established proof.
The ship is forced to retire
—Courtesy of NetflixAlthough the criminal case ended, the Iuventa itself never resumed rescue operations. For almost seven years, the vessel remained moored in Trapani under government custody with little opportunity for maintenance.
By the time inspectors examined the vessel after its release, experts concluded that restoring it would cost more than its estimated market value. Today, the Iuventa remains unable to return safely to sea.
Jugend Rettet is currently pursuing legal action against Italy's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, seeking compensation for the damage sustained while the ship remained under state custody.
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