Sixth Form Students at Atlantic College Lead the Fight to Save Migrants at Sea

Students at Atlantic College in St Donats, Vale of Glamorgan, are volunteering to help with one of the most urgent humanitarian challenges of our day: the death toll in perilous sea crossings. Their drive derives from indignation at the shockingly high death toll among migrants and a will to change things.

Students from sixty nationalities call the independent sixth form college home; many of them are training to help with marine rescues. The initiative aims to produce a new generation of humanitarian champions by including useful skills like mending inflatable boats and knowledge of the complexity of search-and-rescue operations.

Mediterranean: A lethal migrant path

Renowned as the most deadly migration path worldwide, the Mediterranean Sea has claimed around 2,000 lives in 2024 alone according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Founder of the nonprofit Atlantic Pacific International Rescue, Robin Jenkins says of the Mediterranean: “littered with skeletons.”

Jenkins’s charity has carried out many rescue missions, one involving thirty-two people—among them a baby and three unaccompanied children—packed aboard a run-down rubber boat. For many, persecution in their native countries, poverty, and war drive these dangerous trips.

“People are fleeing intolerable suffering,” Jenkins added. “They are misled by smugglers who promise safety and opportunity but instead deliver exploitation and tragedy.”

Legacy of Innovation at Atlantic College

Atlantic College has a rich maritime legacy. Students created the rigid-hull inflatable boat (RIB), which changed contemporary boating and rescue operations, in the 1960s. Purchased for around £1, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) keeps the RIB vital in saving lives at sea.

Students engaged in training today that includes boat building, maintenance, and operational abilities carry on this history. The initiative seeks to produce rescue-ready people able to immediately help to solve the immigration problem.

Inspired Students to Get Active

Passionate students from all around the world have pulled into the program; many of them personally know the situation.

One of the pupils fixing inflatable RIBs, Lucy highlighted climate change as a worsening element. “Migration will rise as global warming quickens, so this problem becomes even more urgent. She said, drowning is presently the third most common cause of unintentional death worldwide.

Another pupil, Finlay, underlined the terrible reality of rescue missions. “Boats that are unseaworthy and packed abound throughout the Mediterranean. Many are allowed to drown without enough supplies, he remarked.

Efa, another component of the training course, shared a similar view. “Lifeboats are vital in saving lives; migration is a worldwide concern. Since it’s such a significant aspect of the planet we live on today, I wanted to learn about it.

Keep Reading

Firsthand Accounts from Rescue Team Members

For individuals engaged in rescue operations, the experience is both emotionally draining and gratifying.

This is well known to Theo Tran, a 23-year-old search-and-rescue instructor for the charity. Originally from Vietnam, Theo moved to the UK aged fifteen and attended Atlantic College. His lifetime need to serve others drives his involvement in Mediterranean rescue operations.

“You’re tired and often in shock, but there’s an indisputable pride involved. No matter how difficult it becomes, you know you are acting morally,” Tran said.

The Problem of Misinformation

By taking advantage of migrant desperation, smugglers help to sustain the issue. Jenkins said: “People are told the journey will be easy and Europe is waiting for them with open arms.” “That is not the reality at all. They endure unbelievable suffering, false information, and extortion.

Many migrants are not ready for the risks that lay ahead, hence this false information undermines efforts to solve the underlying reasons of migration.

There is a worldwide migratory crisis not restricted to the Mediterranean. Another dangerous path that has experienced a sad increase in deaths is the English Channel. 54 migrants have drowned in the Channel in 2024; many more just escaped death.

The numbers remain bleak even with global attempts to solve the problem. Over 147,000 individuals have risked small boat voyages to the UK since 2018. The UK government now gives stopping human smuggling top importance. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested disrupting smuggling networks before they operate using counter-terrorism strategies. The Home Office has also promised to “stop at nothing” in order to close these perilous crossings.

A Home Office spokesman underlined the merciless character of smuggling groups: “These criminals exploit vulnerable people, caring little if they live or die as long as they pay.”

A Humanitarian Action Call to Arms

Atlantic College and its students stand as a grassroots response to a world issue. By means of practical training and active participation in rescue operations, these young people not only save lives but also increase awareness of the pressing need of systematic change.

“This is a big issue, but with the right skills and determination, we can be part of the solution,” Lucy said, summing up the attitude guiding her friends.

Organizations like Atlantic Pacific International Rescue and the commitment of Atlantic College students give hope among the continuous sorrow. Their work demonstrates how significantly one person may influence matters even in the face of great obstacles.

The value of projects like this cannot be emphasized as world migration keeps increasing. The battle to preserve lives at sea needs both urgent and continuous attention whether via creativity, education, or direct action.