SOS Mediterranee Deutschland is a humanitarian search and rescue organization founded in 2015 by European citizens to address the lack of adequate rescue capacities in the Mediterranean Sea. Operating along the world's deadliest migration route, the organization has rescued over 40,000 people in six years through its ships, including the Ocean Viking. SOS Mediterranee Deutschland collaborates with three other organizations in France, Italy, and Switzerland, focusing on three main missions: saving lives at sea, providing protection and care for rescued individuals until they reach a safe location, and witnessing the humanitarian crisis in the central Mediterranean. The organization actively engages in advocacy and mobilizes political and civil society support in their respective countries.