eric: the captain, savvas kourepinis, will try to persuade the coastguards to come to their aid. foreign language] eric: well, it's going to take us three days to reach the search and rescue zone. and for now, as far as ngo rescue missions go, this boat is basically it for the entire central mediterranean the crew of eight will sail us around an area of more than a quarter of a million square kilometers to try to find and help people before they drown. with almost no wind, the boat motors slowly toward the strait of sicily. the central mediterranean is divided into nominal search and rescue zones, though open arms claims every country is failing its legal obligations. our destination is the italian island of lampedusa, nautical miles from malta. it's the closest european landfall to libya, so it's where many of the migrant boats are heading. the crew monitors the emergency radio channel around the clock. boats use it to call for help. male: [speaking in foreign language] eric: the sea is eerily calm as we approach lampedusa. it means the boats are coming. male: [speaking in foreig

savvas kourepinis: i am in the sea trying to keep the people alive, and you tell me to call malta.oin a rescue group saving boats in defiance of italy. so they see you as the enemy? gerard canals: absolutely, yes. eric: and we follow migrants on their perilous path to europe. ♪♪♪

savvas kourepinis: i am in the sea trying to keep the people alive, and you tell me to call malta.n a rescue group saving boats in defiance of italy. so they see you as the enemy? gerard canals: absolutely, yes. eric: and we follow migrants on their perilous path to europe. ♪♪♪