20/09: 88 travellers intercepted back to Libya and 80 travellers rescued by Maltese Coastguard

21.09.2019 / 14:32 / Central Mediterranean Sea

Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 20th of September 2019
Case name: 2019_09_20-CM194
Situation: One boat intercepted back to Libya and one boat saved by the Maltese Coastguard.
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean Sea

Summary of the Case: On Friday the 20th of September the Alarm Phone was alerted to two boats in distress; the first one carrying 88 travellers was intercepted back to Libya by the so-called Libyan Coastguard and the second boat, carrying 80 travellers was rescued after some delay by the Maltese coastguard.

At 1.45 am CEST on Friday the 20th of September, the Alarm Phone was alerted to a boat in distress that had left the previous night from Al Khoms carrying 88 travellers. We managed to establish contact with the boat around 2.15 am; however, as the connection was bad, and communication was difficult it took us some time to clarify the GPS position. Once we clarified the position, we called Maltese authorities at around 6.20 am to inform them about the distress case. Our shift teams also sent an email to Italian and Libyan authorities. After having completely lost contact with the travellers in the late afternoon, we were informed that the boat had been intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coastguard.

Around 4.20 am on the same night we were alerted to a boat in distress carrying 80 travellers. We managed to establish contact with the travellers at around 4.40 am, and they gave us a GPS position which, however, was unclear. After taking some time to verify the position, due to connection and communication difficulties, at 6.22 am we forwarded the distress case to the Maltese authorities. After having lost contact with the boat at 09.27 am we called the Maltease Coastguard. An officer told us that they had many ongoing cases and that he did not have time to give us information on our specific case. At 9.39 am we were able to re-establish contact with the travellers and they told us that the engine was no longer working. A few minutes later they sent us an updated GPS position, however the format was unclear. At 11.43 am the travellers informed us that they had been called directly by the Maltese Coastguard who had told them that they would send a rescue vessel. During this phone call, the travellers were also able to clarify their GPS position. Our shift team then called Maltese authorities to pass on the new position and ask for confirmation on the rescue operation, the Maltese officer took the updated position but did not share any information concerning the rescue operation. At 12.13 pm we also sent an email to the Maltese authorities. At 1.40 pm we were informed that Moonbird had spotted the boat but could not see any Maltese vessel in proximity. Moonbird confirmed that the motor of the boat was no longer working and that the travellers were not wearing life-vests and were in need of urgent assistance. During the rest of the afternoon our shift team was no longer able to establish contact with the travellers and the Maltese authorities did not want update us on the rescue situation. Finally, at 6.58 pm we were informed that the Maltese Coastguard had rescued the travellers.
Credibility: UP DOWN 0
Layers »
  • 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

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