Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigation – 22nd of June 2015

Case name: 2015_06_22-CM27
Situation: Two vessels in distress in the Central Mediterranean Sea, 1 rescued, 1 unconfirmed
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean Sea, Libya

Summary of the Case: On Monday the 22nd of June 2015, the Alarm Phone was alerted by Father Mussie Zerai to an emergency situation in the Central Mediterranean Sea. He provided our shift team with a satellite phone number and, at 9:34am, we reached the passengers of the vessel in distress. Despite loud noises in the background we understood that there were about 100 people, including 10 children, on a small vessel. Water was entering their vessel and people started to panic.

Our shift team instructed them on how to forward their GPS position and few minutes later we informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Rome which did not seem to have knowledge of this particular vessel in distress. We also passed on the received information to the UNHCR, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), and the civilian rescue vessel Sea Watch.

After several attempts we were able to reach the passengers again at about 10am. The person on the other end of the line was clearly panicking, urgently asking for rescue, and up to that point not able to forward their GPS position. Their engine had stopped working, they had no drinking water left and many of the passengers were seasick. Finally, at 10:45am, their GPS position was passed on to us and we immediately informed MRCC Rome. The Italian authorities received our information but were unwilling to share information on possible rescue missions.

More than an hour later, the travellers called again, reporting that they could still not see any vessel nearby. They asked for the phone number of MRCC Rome which we passed on to them. At 12:25h, RCC Malta confirmed that a rescue operation was launched but could not, or did not want to, pass on further information. At 2:17pm, our shift team received another call from the vessel. They seemed relieved as they could see a big cargo vessel approaching them. We instruct them to stay calm and seated and to follow the instructions of the captain of the rescuing vessel. At 3:50pm, the ship company of the vessel ‘MSC Isabelle’ confirmed to us that it had been involved in a search and rescue mission and taken on dozens of people from a rubber vessel in distress. It is likely that this was the vessel in question, though it could not be fully verified as the passengers could not be reached anymore.

On the same day, at 1:38pm, the Alarm Phone received another message from Father Zerai, informing us about a second vessel in distress, carrying about 350-400 people, including women and pregnant women. Apparently they were able to see a vessel in vicinity, a helicopter as well as other refugee boats. They had left the coast of Libya already at 1am on the day. However, the passengers could not be reached and while their rescue seems likely, it remains unconfirmed so far.