Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 12th of September 2019
Case name: 2019_09_12-AEG572
Situation: Alarm Phone alerted to migrant groups in distress in the Aegean Sea
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Aegean Sea

Summary of the Case: On Thursday the 12th of September 2019, the Alarm Phone was alerted to three boats in distress in the Aegean Sea. The first boat with 40 people on board was rescued to Kos/Greece. The engine of the second boat with 41 people on board broke down and they were returned to Turkey. The third boat with 33 people landed independently on Simi/Greece.

Case 1: At 5.06am CEST, the Alarm Phone was informed by a contact person to a boat in distress near Kos/Greece carrying 40 people. We were told that water was entering the boat. We received the GPS position from the boat at 5.10am and a second position at 5.16am. At 5.27am we informed the Greek coastguards who said that a Frontex vessel was near the location and in the process of carrying out a rescue. At 5.36am we received an image from the people showing that they had just been rescued. They told us that they were doing fine and were safe. We then confirmed their rescue to the Greek coastguards at 5.40am.

Case 2: At 16.22h, we were informed by a contact person about a boat in distress, between Turkey and Lesvos, carrying 41 people. According to that person, the waves were very high and the boat was in danger – the Turkish coastguards had already been notified. The phone on board was not working anymore and so we decided to also contact the Turkish coastguards at 16.40h. At 16.45h, the Turkish coastguards confirmed that they had just detected a boat. The people were brought to Izmir port. At 20.12h, the Turkish authorities forwarded further information about the rescued – nationalities included Syrians, Palestinians, and individuals from several African countries.

Case 3: At 21.10h, we were alerted to a boat heading toward Nimos Island/Greece, carrying 33 people. The contact person who passed on the information stated that the waves were high and rescue needed. We reached the boat at 21.15h and the people were very anxious, asking for help. At 21.17h, we informed the Greek coastguards about this case. At 21.26h, we sent the coastguards an updated GPS position. At 21.51h, we received yet again an updated position which we forwarded to the authorities at 21.52h. The coastguards had launched a rescue operation but at 22.08h we were informed that the people had independently reached Nimos Island. The Greek authorities confirmed that they would transfer the stranded group off the beach.