Humanity 2

History
NameHumanity 2
BuilderKempers
Completed1985
Refit2026
Home portKiel
General characteristics
Displacement90 long tons (91 t) full load
Length23.89 m (78.4 ft)
Beam5.98 m (19.6 ft)
Draught2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion230 kW (308 hp) MAN D2542 engine
Sail planKetch, 330 m2 (3,600 sq ft) sail area
Speed11 kn (max, engine)

Humanity 2 is a sailing vessel operated by the German NGO SOS Humanity for the monitoring of sea areas and rescue of people in difficulty on the Mediterranean Sea. At the start of 2026, the boat was being converted from its former use for leisure sailing to its new purpose for rescue at sea, whilst at a shipyard in Syracuse, Italy.

Humanity 2 is a ketch, 24m in length, and has the MMSI number 211192970. The ship was built in 1985 and before being sold to the NGO in 2025 it was used as a pleasure craft named Esmeralda of Southampton. Following commissioning by the NGO in mid-2026, the plan was to be deployed off the coast of Tunisia.

Following the rescue in November 2025 by Humanity 1 of 85 people, SOS Humanity reiterated the importance of launching their second rescue vessel.

Service

Humanity 2 was put into service on 29 June 2026 in Sicily. The ship has crew of 10 activists and can, when loaded to the max, pick up 100 migrants. During the ceremony, NGO leader Till Rummenhohl emphasized the responsibility of the European Union for the drowned migrants in Mediterranean and vowed the new ship would also document human rights violations.

On 28 and 29 August 2026 the activists approached a boat carrying 12 migrants who had left two days before from Zuwara. A few hours later, 59 migrants were spotted in a second boat and taken on board. The crew then headed for Lampedusa to disembark the migrants. Humanity 2 was detained by Italy in Lampedusa, because the activists had apparently failed to inform the authorities about the second rescue operation before initiating it. A fine of € 4000 was issued to the NGO and the vessel was ordered to stay in port for 15 days.

References

  1. ↑ "New NGO ships to take up rescue missions in the Mediterranean". infomigrants.net, ANSA. 17 November 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  2. ↑ Gahr, Rebecca (21 November 2025). "Rescue Report No. 23". SOS HUMANITY. Archived from the original on 9 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026. Our two ships meet for the first time in port: our large rescue ship Humanity 1 and our sailing ship Humanity 2. On 19 November, the crew leaves the port of Syracuse
  3. ↑ "SOS Humanity". www.infomigrants.net. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "Second migrant rescue ship enters service..." www.italianinsider.it. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "HUMANITY 2, Sailing vessel - Details and current position - MMSI 211192970 - VesselFinder". www.vesselfinder.com. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "Kempers 24m Arco Yachts Ketch Boat for Sale". networkyachtbrokers.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2026. Retrieved 3 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "Zweites Schiff soll Geflüchtete retten" [Second ship to rescue refugees]. www.ref.ch. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  8. ↑ "Eighty five people rescued by SOS Humanity disembark safely". Voice For African Migrants. 6 December 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "Drowning". #LeaveNoOneBehind. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "SOS Humanity rafforza la flotta: battezzata in Sicilia la nuova nave Humanity 2" [SOS Humanity strengthens its fleet: new ship *Humanity 2* christened in Sicily.]. stranieriinitalia.it. 29 June 2026. Archived from the original on 29 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Mediterraneo centrale: durante il weekend salvate 131 persone da ong e Guardia costiera" [Central Mediterranean: 131 people rescued by NGOs and the Coast Guard over the weekend.]. vita.it. 29 August 2026. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "Ora tocca alle barche a vela, fermata la Humanity 2" [Now it’s the turn of sailboats: the *Humanity 2* has been grounded.]. ilmanifesto.it. 3 September 2026. Retrieved 3 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Italien setzt deutsches NGO-Schiff „Humanity 2" fest" [Italy impounds German NGO vessel *Humanity 2*.]. ilmanifesto.it. 9 September 2026. Archived from the original on 10 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.