This Photographer Is Trying to Locate the Migrants Shown in This Iconic Image

3 minute read

We’ve all seen the images of thousands of refugees and migrants on overcrowded ships, fleeing oppression, war and poverty in North Africa and the Middle East for a chance in Europe. Italian photographer Massimo Sestini shot one of these images last year – it captured people’s imagination and went on to win a World Press Photo award and was selected in TIME’s Top 10 Photos of 2014.

Now, the Italian photographer wants to find out what happened to the migrants and refugees in his picture, and he’s launched a campaign, appealing for answers.“There were 500 people on that boat, so I would like to launch a worldwide campaign to ask them all ‘Where are you?’ so that I may continue my photo reportage on migration, and further help [shed light] this dramatic issue,” he says.

Everything started last June, when a World Press Photo exhibition organizer called Sestini from Switzerland with news that a group migrants, now living in the country, were lingering in front of his iconic photograph. Eventually, they asked the organizers if they could have a copy of the image as they recognized themselves and others on board.

“I said [to the organizer] I could give them the photo for free, but you need to find me their emails, their contact [information],” says Sestini.

Although the photographer was unable to get the migrants’ contact details, that episode was a catalyst for the Where Are You? campaign. Sestini has since launched a website, encouraging people to contact him if they recognize anyone on the boat. The photographer hopes to find at least 10 of those people and tell their stories of integration.

“This would allow [me] to show the migrants in their normal lives, families from Syria able to find an arrangement. They are doctors, engineers who in order to escape war and death in their own country have risked their own life, but they might end up becoming respected professionals in some other parts of the world,” he says. “Maybe there is a happy family living now in [Geneva],” working as gardeners in a public park, he adds. “It would be nice to place the two photographs side by side: the photograph of them on the rescue ship, and the photograph of them in that garden in [Geneva].”

Boat Migrants Risk It All for New Life in Europe

Italian navy rescues asylum seekers traveling by boat off the coast of Africa in the Mediterranean Sea, June 7, 2014.
Italian navy rescues asylum seekers traveling by boat off the coast of Africa on the Mediterranean, June 7, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
A soldier using binoculars to spot boats carrying asylum seekers in the Mediterranean Sea, June 2.
A soldier using binoculars to spot boats carrying asylum seekers, June 2, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Refugees rescued off a boat and carried onto an Italian navy ship on the Mediterranean Sea, June 7.
Refugees rescued off a boat and carried onto an Italian navy ship, June 7, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Italian navy rescues asylum seekers traveling by boat off the coast of Africa, June 7.
Italian navy rescues asylum seekers traveling by boat off the coast of Africa, June 7, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Italian soldier carries a Syrian child on a ship after the Italian navy rescued 443 Syrian asylum seekers off a fishing vessel, June 5.
Italian soldier carries a Syrian child on a ship after the Italian navy rescued 443 Syrian asylum seekers off a fishing vessel, June 5, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Italian navy rescue asylum seekers
African asylum seekers rescued off boats and taken aboard an Italy navy ship, June 8, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
An empty dinghy with leftover lifesavers after the Italian navy rescued asylum seekers off the coast of Africa, June 7.
An empty dinghy with leftover lifesavers after the Italian navy rescued asylum seekers off the coast of Africa, June 7, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Italian navy rescue asylum seekers
Syrian refugees sleeping on an Italian navy ship after being rescued from a fishing vessel carrying 443 Syrian asylum seekers, June 5, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Syrian refugees on an Italian navy ship after being rescued from a fishing vessel carrying 443 Syrian asylum seekers, June 5.
Syrian refugees on an Italian navy ship after being rescued from a fishing vessel carrying 443 Syrian asylum seekers, June 5, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Syrian refugees sleeping on an Italian navy ship after being rescued from a fishing vessel carrying 443 Syrian asylum seekers, June 5.
Syrian refugees sleeping on an Italian navy ship after being rescued from a fishing vessel carrying 443 Syrian asylum seekers, June 5, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
African asylum seekers rescued off boats and taken aboard an Italy navy ship, June 8.
African asylum seekers rescued off boats and taken aboard an Italy navy ship, June 8, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
African refugees rescued by the Italian navy at night off a rubber dinghy, June 8.
African refugees rescued by the Italian navy at night off a rubber dinghy, June 8, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
African asylum seekers rescued off boats and taken aboard an Italian navy ship, June 8.
African asylum seekers rescued off boats and taken aboard an Italian navy ship, June 8, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
African asylum seekers on board a rescue craft dispatched from an Italian navy ship, June
African asylum seekers on board a rescue craft dispatched from an Italian navy ship, June 7.Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Africa refugees on an Italian navy ship after being rescued at sea, June 8.
Africa refugees on an Italian navy ship after being rescued at sea, June 8, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
A mother and child on a Italian navy ship after being rescued from a fishing vessel carrying 443 Syrian asylum seekers, June 5.
A mother and child on a Italian navy ship after being rescued from a fishing vessel carrying 443 Syrian asylum seekers, June 5, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris
Abandoned boats graveyard in Lampedusa, May 29.
Abandoned boats graveyard in Lampedusa, May 29, 2014. Massimo Sestini—Polaris

Massimo Sestini is an Italian photographer based in Florence, Italy. His photograph of a boat with refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea won him the 2015 World Press Photo award for General News, second prize singles.

Lucia De Stefani is a writer and contributor for TIME LightBox. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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