Alarm Phone alerted to 5 distress cases in the Aegean Sea near Chios and Lesvos

06.10.2015 / 14:12 / Aegean Sea

Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 05th of October 2015

Case name: 2015_10_05-AEG90
Situation: 5 distress calls in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Chios and Lesvos
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Aegean Sea

Summary of the Cases: On Monday the 5th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone dealt with five situations of distress in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Chios and Lesvos. While the Greek coastguard rescued one vessel, in one case the Turkish coastguard conducted a rescue operation and in three cases the travellers were able to move on independently.

At 2am a contact person informed us about a boat in distress with 40 travellers on board on their way to Lesvos (case 1). The contact person had already informed the Turkish coastguard, who had told her that a rescue operation was on its way. After some unsuccessful attempts we spoke to the travellers at 2.30am. Their boat was in bad condition, but at 2.45am another contact person confirmed to us, that the Turkish coastguard had rescued the boat.

In the afternoon, the Facebook group Save Refugees on their way to Europe forwarded to us the coordinates of a boat in distress north of the Greek island of Lesvos and later on also two numbers of this boat (case 2). As the boat was still close the Turkish coast, the group had already informed the Turkish coastguard. However, the coastguard had claimed, that they had already rescued a boat at this position. As the group had evidence that the boat in question was not yet rescued, the Alarm Phone took over the case. We received new coordinates that showed the boat 2.3 kilometres south on its way to Lesvos. In the following hours the Alarm Phone continuously tried to establish contact to the boat. At 11pm we got confirmation from the travellers that they had safely reached Lesvos on their own.

In the evening several contact persons informed the Alarm Phone about a boat in distress with 40 travellers on board 2 kilometres east of Lesvos (case 3). One of the contact persons had already alerted the Greek coastguard. About one hour later, we received confirmation from all contact persons, that the Greek coastguard had rescued the boat in distress.

In two further cases we were informed about vessels in distress that faced engine problems (cases 4 + 5). In both cases, in the end, the travellers reached the Greek islands of Chios and Lesvos independently.
Last update: 14:26 Oct 18, 2015
Credibility: UP DOWN 0
Layers »
  • Border police patrols
     
    While the exact location of patrols is of course constantly changing, this line indicates the approximate boundary routinely patrolled by border guards’ naval assets. In the open sea, it usually correspond to the outer extent of the contiguous zone, the area in which “State may exercise the control necessary to prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws” (UNCLOS, art. 33). Data source: interviews with border police officials.
  • Coastal radars
     
    Approximate radar beam range covered by coastal radars operating in the frame of national marine traffic monitoring systems. The actual beam depends from several different parameters (including the type of object to be detected). Data source: Finmeccanica.
  • Exclusive Economic Zone
     
    Maritime area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which the coastal state exercises sovereign rights for the purposes of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, the seabed and its subsoil and the superjacent waters. Its breadth is 200 nautical miles from the straight baselines from which the territorial sea is measured (UNCLOS, Arts. 55, 56 and 57). Data source: Juan Luis Suárez de Vivero, Atlas of the European Seas and Oceans
  • Frontex operations
     
    Frontex has, in the past few years, carried out several sea operations at the maritime borders of the EU. The blue shapes indicate the approximate extend of these operations. Data source: Migreurop Altas.
  • Mobile phone coverage
     
    Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network coverage. Data source: Collins Mobile Coverage.
  • Oil and gas platforms
     
    Oil and gas platforms in the Mediterranean. Data source:
  • Search and Rescue Zone
     
    An area of defined dimensions within which a given state is has the responsibility to co-ordinate Search and Rescue operations, i.e. the search for, and provision of aid to, persons, ships or other craft which are, or are feared to be, in distress or imminent danger. Data source: IMO availability of search and rescue (SAR) services - SAR.8/Circ.3, 17 June 2011.
  • Territorial Waters
     
    A belt of sea (usually extending up to 12 nautical miles) upon which the sovereignty of a coastal State extends (UNCLOS, Art. 2). Data source: Juan Luis Suárez de Vivero, Atlas of the European Seas and Oceans