Ongoing Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigation – 13-14th of April 2015

Case name: 2015_04_12-13-CM11
Situation: Thousands of people in distress, off the coast of Libya
Status of WTM Investigation: Ongoing
Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Libya

The past four days saw the largest rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean Sea this year, carried out by Italian and Maltese authorities as well as several merchant vessels. Thousands had left the shores of Libya in often unseaworthy vessels, seeking to reach European territories. From Friday until Monday, the Alarm Phone has been in direct contact with many people in distress, whose lives were in severe danger. Below you can find a report on the practices of the Alarm Phone in the past days.

These unprecedented movements of last weekend can be explained partly due to improved weather conditions. However, the main reasons for sea crossings are the activities of European states and the EU that lead to the increasing closure of legal and secure travel paths to European territories. Their policies of deterrence and border fortification endanger the lives of those who need to leave and cross borders. Hundreds have died already this year, presumably more than 400 died this weekend alone, and many more will follow if there is not a significant change of heart. The dramatic rescue operations that we witnessed over the last few days are not necessary. The fears, the injuries and the deaths of people on the move are not necessary. We demand the opening of safe pathways toward Europe to make border deaths history and we univocally support the freedom of movement for all!

Throughout Sunday the 12th of April, the Alarm Phone shift team obtained the satellite numbers of several vessels in distress in Libyan waters or was contacted directly by people in distress. Vessel 1 had about 500 people on board, vessel 2 again about 500 people, vessel 3 about 350 people, vessel 4-5 carrying together up to 900 people, vessel 6 with a yet unknown number of people, vessel 7 with approximately 90 people, vessel 8 had an unknown number of people on board. There were, it seems, (pregnant) women and children on most of the vessels.

The satellite phone numbers of vessels 1 and 2 were passed on to MRCC Rome as well Malta and the UNHCR. The shift team sought to reach the passengers on the boats several times, and reached passengers on vessel 2. Coordinates and further information were obtained and passed on to the authorities. The shift team also spoke to people on vessel 3 several times, in order to obtain their position and further information. The connection, however, was bad and there was a lot of screaming and agitation in the background. They wanted to know how close they were from Italy and stated that they were running out of fuel.

The shift team got in contact with vessel 5 but the connection was bad so that no further information could be obtained. Coordinate and satellite phone numbers of different vessels were passed on to Rome and Malta and they confirmed that they were working on all of these cases. The Alarm Phone shift team was contacted by a relative of someone on vessel 6. The satellite phone number was passed on and the passengers reported that they had been on the vessel for ten hours. These information were once again passed on. To Malta and Rome.

Consistently throughout the day, the shift team sought to reach all the different vessels and pass on new information to the authorities. It was clear that a huge rescue operation was underway, including a helicopter, SAR vessels as well as merchant vessels.

In the night to Monday the 13th of April, the shift team received alarming information concerning vessel 8. People on the vessel stated that they were in a dangerous situation and that some people had jumped into the water. They also said that water was entering the vessel. These information were again passed on to Rome, Malta and the UNHCR.

In the morning of the 13th of April, the shift team received the news that boats 4-5 (that were together or near to one another), were rescued.

At around 11am, the shift team was called by another vessel in distress. The connection was bad and coordinates could not be obtained. About two hours later the shift team reached the vessel and was informed that there were two vessels (henceforth vessels 9 and 10) off the coast of Libya, carrying between 110-200 passengers. The shift team tried to obtain GPS coordinates from the passengers but was not successful in the first call. In several phone calls afterwards the coordinates of the vessel were passed on to the shift team. Passengers say that there are 120 people on the boat, including 20 women and one child. They are about to run out of fuel. They left Tripoli/Libya the night before with another boat which is now missing. These information were passed on to MRCC Rome via email and phone.

MRCC Rome confirmed to the Alarm Phone on Monday the 13th of April at about 14:28h that they were dealing with vessel 9 and had, in total, about 20 cases currently to deal with. Until 17:50h, the shift team was repeatedly in contact with passengers of vessel 9. We were informed that a pregnant woman was on board, that someone had a broken arm and that people were starting to panic. They were running out of fuel and their satellite phone was running out of battery. The shift team calmed them down and stated that responsible authorities had been notified. We noted that an oil tanker was in vicinity of vessel 9 and we alerted MRCC Rome at 18:10h. They confirmed that the tanker would be asked to change its course towards vessel 9. In the meantime, contact to vessel 9 could not be established anymore. At 22:45h, MRCC Rome stated that the oil tanker was involved in rescue operations and that all vessels in this area would be rescued. The movements of the oil tanker that could be traced online seemed to confirm MRCC Rome. In the morning of the 14th of April, RCC Malta confirmed that all people in distress from the day before had been rescued.

Italian authorities stated that they had rescued 3791 people on Sunday alone. The Alarm Phone reported on the rescue operations from Friday already in a previous report (see source 1). Including the rescue operations on Friday, a total of 5629 people were rescued this weekend. Following a statement of the Italian coastguards, 2851 people were rescued on Monday. This means that 8480 people in total were rescued since Friday. Moreover, Tunisian navy and coastguards intercepted two vessels that were seeking to reach Lampedusa with 94 and 84 people on board.

Tuesday evening survivors reported to authorities that more than 400 people had drowned. Following the testimonies collected by Save the Children, only about 150 people survived the shipwreck in Libyan waters (sources 3, 4, and 5).

This sudden rise in sea crossings in the Central Mediterranean Sea is only an indication of what might be to come in 2015. With the increasing closure of safe travel paths toward European territories, sea crossings will not abate and many more will unnecessarily risk and lose their lives. We demand the immediate opening of legal and safe paths toward Europe!

This report will be continuously updated.