Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 27th of October 2015

Case name: 2015_10_27-AEG111
Situation: Alarm Phone alerted to 12 boats in distress near the Greek islands of Nera/Agathionisi, Farmakonisi, Lesvos and Chios
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Aegean Sea

Summary of the Cases: On Tuesday the 27th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted to a total of 12 emergency situations in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Nera/Agathionisi, Farmakonisi, Lesvos and Chios. Around midnight we were informed about three groups of travellers who were in distress on their way to the Greek island of Agathonisi or had already stranded on the uninhabited rocky island Nera, close to Agathonisi. All travellers were rescued before midday. Three other groups the Alarm Phone was in contact with arrived independently on Farmakonisi, Lesvos and Chios. Beyond that, while the Turkish coastguard rescued three boats in distress, in three other cases it is likely that the Greek coastguard conducted rescue operations and had brought the travellers to Greece.

At 11.15pm on Monday evening we received a call from a boat in distress, with 50 people on board (case 1). Ten minutes later the travellers sent us their GPS-position between the Turkish coast and the Greek island of Agathonisi via WhatsApp. We informed the Greek coastguard accordingly via phone and e-mail at 11.40pm. At half past midnight we received updated coordinates from the travellers, indicating that they were approaching the tiny rocky island Nera. In another call with the coastguard we were told that the coastguard would not interfere as long as the boat is moving. Only at 2am we were again able to talk to the travellers. They had stranded on the uninhabited island Nera close to Agathonisi in the meantime.

Already at 11.30pm a contact person had informed us about another group of 80 travellers who were stuck at Nera as well (case 2). The Greek coastguard was already aware of this group when we called them at 11.50pm, but they thankfully took their coordinates.

At 1am the same contact person forwarded information on another boat in distress in the same area to us (case 3). We informed the Greek coastguard again, but at 1.20am we learned from the contact person that this group had also stranded on Nera and joined the two other groups. At 2am we talked again to the coastguard and urged them to take care of all three groups. We were told that they would do their best, but they did not assure us being able to start a rescue operation during the night. At 8.30am one of our contact persons informed us that the evacuation of the travellers had started. Finally, at 11.30am another contact person confirmed to us that the Greek coastguard had rescued all travellers from the island of Nera.

In the same night, at 12.30pm a contact person alerted us to a group of 35 travellers in distress close to the Greek island of Farmakonisi (case 4). They faced very high waves and water was already entering their boat. We alerted the Greek coastguard at 12.35pm via phone and also sent an e-mail to them at 12.50pm. However, at 1.40am, our contact person informed us that the travellers had safely arrived at Farmakonisi and that no further help was necessary.

On the next morning, at 6.40am, a contact person informed us about 12 travellers who were stuck on a Turkish island (case 5). He had already informed the Turkish coastguard but they had neglected being responsible. We were not able to speak to the travellers directly, but one hour later the contact person informed us that the Turkish coastguard had rescued the travellers.

At 6.55am a contact person informed us about a distress call he had received from a boat at 4.30am. He forwarded their coordinates to us, which indicated that the travellers were in distress between Çeşme/Turkey and the Greek island of Chios (case 6). We were able to talk to the travellers at 7.25am. They were already at land, with the Turkish authorities. Afterwards the contact person confirmed to us as well, that the Turkish coastguard had rescued the boat, with 40 persons on board.

At 8.15am we received a WhatsApp message with coordinates on the southeaster coast of Agathonisi (case 7). A couple of minutes later, the contact person also sent us a phone number. We talked to the travellers at 8.30am and learned that they had stranded on Agathonisi but had found a road and were not in distress anymore. We advised them to call the emergency number 112 in case of further problems and also offered them to call us back at any time.

At 9.10am a number of a group of 40 travellers was forwarded to us (case 8). We were not able to talk to them directly, but at 9.30am we also received their position, north of the island of Lesvos. Finally, at 9.40am we reached the travellers and learned that they had safely arrived on Lesvos.

At 11am we were alerted to a group of 63 travellers who had run out of fuel on their way to the Greek island of Chios (case 9). At 11.15am we received an updated position and called the Greek coastguard immediately afterwards. They had already received a distress call from this position and we were told that a rescue operation was prepared in this area. We also sent an e-mail at 11.20am to ask for new information. In the meantime, we also tried to call the travellers directly several times, but without success. At noon another contact person alerted us to a boat in distress in the same area, on which two women had already died. While it remained unclear whether this was the same boat as in case 9, we alerted the Greek coastguard again. At 2.45pm they told us that in this area a boat had drifted back into Turkish waters and that the Turkish coastguard had conducted a rescue operation. After several unsuccessful attempts we were able to talk to the Turkish coastguard in Ankara at 4.20pm and were told that they had rescued a boat near Chios at 3.30pm, with 43 travellers on board. However, it remained unclear to us whether this was the boat we had been alerted to. In the following hours neither our contact persons nor we were able to get in contact with the travellers again. Only at midday of the next day we received a WhatsApp message stating that the travellers of case 9 had safely arrived on Chios.

At 11.30am another message from a contact person with regard to a boat in distress near Chios reached us (case 10). We were informed about 42 travellers who had lost control of their boat. We sent a WhatsApp message to the travellers and asked if they were in need of help. They responded that they were indeed in distress and asked for help. We called the Greek coastguard immediately afterwards and also informed them about the case via e-mail. At 2.50pm the coastguard told us in another call that they had picked up a boat with 40 travellers in this area. Only two days later the contact person informed us that the 42 travellers had indeed been rescued.

At 1.20pm we received a call, informing us about another boat in distress between Çeşme/Turkey and the Greek island of Chios, with about 35 travellers on board (case 11). A WhatsApp contact was forwarded to us, but the number was not available at this moment. At 4pm the contact person called us back and told us that he obtained confirmation that the boat was rescued. However, he did not know which coastguard conducted the rescue operation. In the following hours we were not able to obtain further information about the whereabouts of this boat.

In the evening, at 6.20pm we received a call from a contact person, informing us about 15 travellers in distress north of Lesvos, but still close to the Turkish coast (case 12). We alerted the Turkish coastguard and were told that they were aware of this boat. Shortly afterwards the contact person informed us that the Turkish coastguard had arrived at the boat’s position and had started a rescue operation.