25/07 Ten boats in distress in the Western Mediterranean, 7 rescued to Spain, 3 returned to Morocco

26.07.2018 / 17:19 / Western Mediterranean, Morocco/Spain

Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 25th of July 2018

Case name: 2018_07_25-WM296
Situation: Alarm Phone alerted to several emergency situations in the Western Med
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Western Mediterranean Sea

Summary of the Cases: On Wednesday, the 25th of July 2018, the Alarm Phone was alerted to 10 boats in distress in the Western Mediterranean Sea. 7 boats were rescued to Spain, 3 returned to Morocco.

Case 1: At around 4am CEST, we were alerted to a boat in distress, carrying 8 people, including 1 woman via a contact person. We tried to contact the travellers but the connection was interrupted several times. At 5.19am, we were able to properly speak to them for the first time but could not verify their position. At 6.16am they informed us that they had left from Tangier and we shortly after informed the Spanish search and rescue organisation Salvamento Maritimo (SM). Around 7am, we received a precise GPS position which we forwarded to SM. At 11.09am, we received the confirmation that they had been rescued to Spain.

Case 2: At 6.19am, we were informed by a contact person about another boat in distress, carrying 10 people, including 2 women who had left from Achakar. Our shift team was repeatedly trying to reach the boat, but without success. At 10.31am we received a GPS position of the boat which we forwarded to SM. At 12.32pm, our contact person confirmed that the group had been rescued to Spain.

Case 3: At 7.01am, we were alerted by a contact person to a boat carrying 9 people, including 2 women who had left from Achakar. We informed SM about the case. At 1.06pm, we received the confirmation from the contact person that the people had been rescued to Spain.

Case 4: At 7.15am, we received information about a boat in distress carrying 12 people. When we received an updated GPS position we alerted SM to the case. At 9.42am we received the confirmation that the people had been rescued to Spain.

Case 5: At 8.33am, we received information via a contact person about a boat in distress carrying 11 people, including 2 women. We received a voice message from the boat, informing us that they were very tired and in need of rescue. At 9.22am we were able to directly speak to them and the person explained that water was entering the boat. At 10.20am we informed SM to the case. We later received updated GPS positions which we forwarded to SM. At 12.24pm, our contact person informed us that they had been rescued to Spain.

Case 6: At around 8.30am, we were informed by a contact person about a boat coming from Achakar, carrying 12 people, including 1 pregnant woman. The people on the boat tried to relay their correct position but were unable to do so for some time. At 9.11am, they informed us that the weather had deteriorated and that they required rescue. At 9.45am, we informed SM to the case. At 11.02am and 12.20pm, we updated SM about the case. At 1.11pm, we received the confirmation from our contact person that they people had been rescued to Spain.

Case 7: At 9.45am, a contact person informed us about a boat in distress, carrying 11 young men from Achakar. We could not reach the travellers and informed SM at 11.32am. At 1.06pm, we received the confirmation from our contact person that the people had been rescued to Spain.

Case 8: At 10.32am, we were alerted by a contact person to a boat in distress, carrying 7 people, including 1 woman. They had left from Achakar. We initially received an incorrect GPS position. At 11.16am, we informed SM to the case. At 1.54pm, the people on the boat confirmed that they had been intercepted by the Moroccan Navy and returned to Morocco.

Case 9: At 11.04am, we were informed about a boat with an unclear number of people on board. We were told that their phone had little charge left. We received a GPS position and informed SM at 11.40am. In the evening the people informed us that they had been intercepted by the Moroccan Navy and returned to Morocco.

Case 10: At 11.42am, we were informed about a boat carrying 10 people, including 2 women that had left from Achakar. At 1.46pm, we were trying repeatedly to establish contact to the boat but were not able to get through. At 4.30pm we were able to reach the group. They informed us that they had returned to Morocco by themselves after the woman and a man had fallen into the water. Fortunately, they could rescue them.

Credibility:

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