Joan Mateu

Photographer

Open Arms #79

Migrants, most of them from Eri...31, 2020. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Migrants, most of them from Eritrea, are assisted by aid workers of the Spanish NGO Open Arms, after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea, about 85 miles north of Libya, on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

A baby is rescued by aid worker...31, 2020. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

A baby is rescued by aid workers of the Spanish NGO Open Arms, after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea, about 85 miles north of Libya, on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Farhat Hicham, 30, from Morocco...020 .On Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Farhat Hicham, 30, from Morocco look at the Mediterranean sea on board the Spanish NGO Open Arms vessel after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea, about 85 miles north of Libya past Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 .On Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Migrants, most of them from Eri...bya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Migrants, most of them from Eritrea, reacts as Spanish NGO Open Arms aid workers aproach them , about 110 miles north of Libya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Migrants, most of them from Eritrea, are assisted by aid workers of the Spanish NGO Open Arms, after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea, about 110 miles north of Libya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Spanish NGO Open Arms Doctor Be...bya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Spanish NGO Open Arms Doctor Bego Motriko assist one baby after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea past Thursday, Dec. 31, on the Mediterranean sea, about 110 miles north of Libya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Migrants, most of them from Eritrea, are assisted by aid workers of the Spanish NGO Open Arms, after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea, about 110 miles north of Libya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

A migrant from Sudan have break...4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

A migrant from Sudan have breakfast on board the Spanish NGO Open Arms vessel after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea, About 8 miles south Italy. Mon, Jan. 4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Babys play with respectives on ...ladesh, Sudan, Syria and Egypt.

Babys play with respectives on board the Spanish NGO Open Arms vessel after having been rescued in the Mediterranean sea fleeing Libya on board a precarious wooden boat. About 30 miles south Italy. Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. Spanish NGO Open Arms have rescued in 40 hours 265, 6 of them babys, migrants from Eritrea and Etiopia , but also from Morocco, Algeria, Bangladesh, Sudan, Syria and Egypt.

Migrants look at the port of Em...4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Migrants look at the port of Empedocle, Italy, on board the Spanish NGO Open Arms vessel after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea. Near to port of Empedocle, Italy. Mon, Jan. 4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Yohaness, from Eritrea prays si...4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Yohaness, from Eritrea prays singing as he arrives at the port of Empedocle, Italy, on board the Spanish NGO Open Arms vessel after being located sailing adrift on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea. Near to port of Empedocle, Italy. Mon, Jan. 4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Two migrants who tested positiv...n Monday. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Two migrants who tested positive on COVID-19 test arrive to Port of Empedocle, Sicily, Italy after being rescued by NGO Open Arms on an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. Italy has allowed a Spanish-flagged charity ship with 265 rescued migrants aboard to anchor off Sicily on Monday. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Italian authorities escort migr...n Monday. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Italian authorities escort migrants on their way to a quarantine ferry, after arriving in the spanish NGO Open Arms rescue vessel at the port of Empedocle, in Sicily, Italy on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. Italy has allowed a Spanish-flagged charity ship with 265 rescued migrants aboard to anchor off Sicily on Monday. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

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Thumbnail of Migrants, most of them from Erit_ 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Thumbnail of A baby is rescued by aid workers_ 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Thumbnail of Farhat Hicham, 30, from Morocco _2020 .On Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Thumbnail of Migrants, most of them from Erit_ibya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Thumbnail of Spanish NGO Open Arms Doctor Beg_ibya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Thumbnail of A migrant from Sudan have breakf_ 4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Thumbnail of Babys play with respectives on b_gladesh, Sudan, Syria and Egypt.

Thumbnail of Migrants look at the port of Emp_ 4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Thumbnail of Yohaness, from Eritrea prays sin_ 4, 2021. .On Mon, Jan. 4, 2021.

Thumbnail of Two migrants who tested positive_on Monday. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Thumbnail of Italian authorities escort migra_on Monday. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Public Project

Open Arms #79

Copyright Joan Mateu 2025

Updated Feb 2021

Topics Action, Immigration, Photojournalism, Portraiture

Spanish NGO 79th rescue mission on Central Mediterranean Sea. Covering for The Associated Press. Spanish charity ship rescued 265 people in its 79th mission, which was in Christmas 2020-21.

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Joan Mateu

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