Association Pilotes Volontaires (French: 'Volunteer Pilots Association') is a charitable NGO based in France which flies Search and rescue missions looking for refugees in danger on the Mediterranean Sea with their two reconnaissance aircraft.[1] It was founded by José Benavente[2] and Benoît Micolon in January 2018.[3] Their initial aircraft, a Dyn'Aéro MCR4S, was called Colibri, and flew its first mission in May 2018.[4]

Association Pilotes Volontaires typically operates by contacting the MRCC in Rome, rather than NGO rescue vessels directly.[5]

As of June 2019, they had logged 52 missions, sighting 54 boats and by their estimates saving more than 4,300 people.[4] At that date, the Association numbered 14 volunteer staff including eight pilots.[4]

In December 2020, Association Pilotes Volontaires[6] began operation of a second Dyn'Aéro MCR4S reconnaissance aircraft, named Colibri 2; both aircraft were still operational in December 2021.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Week-end de soutien pour l’association Pilotes Volontaires! (tr. "Support weekend for the Volunteer Pilots association!") 6 September 2021 www.bigorre-mag.fr, accessed 2 January 2021
  2. ↑ Migrants : À la rencontre de la sentinelle de la Méditerranée (tr. "Migrants: Meet the Sentinel of the Mediterranean") 4 December 2021 www.wedemain.fr, accessed 2 January 2021
  3. ↑ PILOTES VOLONTAIRES 27 August 2018 arverefugies.fr, accessed 2 January 2021
  4. 1 2 3 Pilotes Volontaires 2 June 2019 www.pilotes-volontaires.org, accessed 21 June 2021
  5. ↑ Des pilotes professionnels s’engagent pour sauver les migrants en Méditerranée (tr. "Professional pilots take action to save migrants in the Mediterranean") 13 March 2018 www.infomigrants.net, accessed 4 January 2022
  6. ↑ Pilotes Volontaires www.lilo.org, accessed 25 June 2021
  7. ↑ December 2021 Update – Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the Mediterranean and fundamental rights 17 December 2021, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, fra.europa.eu, accessed 2 January 2022
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