Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 26th of July 2018

Case name: 2018_07_26-WM297
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 Thursday, the 26th of July 2018, the Alarm Phone was alerted to 9 boats in distress in the Western Mediterranean Sea. 5 boats were rescued to Spain, 2 returned to Morocco. For 2 boats we have no further information.

Case 1: At 3.22am, our shift team was informed via a contact person about a boat in distress coming from Achakar, carrying 5 people. For several hours we were not able to establish contact to the boat. At 5.52am, we spoke to the travellers and they informed us that the boat had a hole and water was entering. We informed the Spanish search and rescue organisation Salvamento Maritimo (SM) to the case. In the evening, the people from the boat confirmed to us that they had been returned to Morocco by the Moroccan Navy.

Case 2: At 6.47am, we received a call from a boat in distress, carrying 10 people. They had left from Achakar. They tried to send their GPS position but were not able to do so. At 8.05am, they asked us to inform the Moroccan authorities as they had not left territorial waters and were in severe distress, with water entering their boat. We informed the Moroccan authorities to the situation. Later we received the confirmation that they had been returned to Morocco.

Case 3: At 7.40am, a contact person informed us about a boat carrying 12 people, including 2 women, who had left from Achakar. We were able to speak to the travellers and one of the women confirmed that they would try to send us their GPS position. At 8am we informed SM to the case. At 9.10am, we updated SM about the boat in distress. At 11.26am, we received the confirmation that the people had been rescued to Spain.

Case 4: At around the same time as case 3, we received information via a contact person about a boat carrying 8 people, including 2 women who were in distress. We informed SM to the case and were in direct contact with the travellers. At 10.18am, we received the confirmation that they had been rescued to Spain.

Case 5: At 9.20am, we received information via a contact person about a boat carrying 12 people, including 2 women, who were in distress. Over the next hours we tried to establish direct contact but were not successful. At 1.09pm, we received the information that people were anxious and unwell on the boat. We informed SM about the case and at 2pm the travellers confirmed to us that they had been rescued to Spain.

Case 6: At 11.52am, a contact person informed us about a boat carrying 12 people who had left from Achakar. When we received an updated GPS position of the boat we informed SM at 11.59am. At 12.20pm, we received the confirmation that they had been rescued to Spain.

Case 7: At around noon, we were alerted to a boat in distress carrying 12 people, including 2 women. We passed the information about the case to SM at 1.28pm. We were unable to verify whether they had been rescued or not.

Case 8: At 12.57pm, we were alerted by a contact person to a boat in distress, carrying 12 people. They had left from Achakar. We received a GPS position and informed SM to the case. We were unable to verify whether they had been rescued or not.

Case 9: At 2.25pm, people in distress called us directly from a boat that had left from Achakar. They were 8 people, including 1 woman and 1 child. For several hours we were supporting the boat. When we received updated GPS positions at 20.20pm, we informed SM and passed on the new information at 20.50pm. Over the hours, the people were growing increasingly anxious and water had started to enter their boat. At 00.45am, they informed us that they had spotted a rescue vessel in their vicinity. At 00.55am, we received the confirmation from the travellers that they had been rescued to Spain.