Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 30th of January 2020

Case name: 2020_01_30-CM228
Situation: two boats started from Libya, one with 100 people reached Open Arms, 17 people intercepted to Libyan war zone
Status of WTM Investigation: concluded
Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean

Summary of the Case: On 30 January the Alarm Phone monitored two boats crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Both started from Libya the day before. One boat with 17 people were intercepted by the so-called Libyan coast guard in Maltese SAR zone, the other boat with 100 people reached the NGO rescue vessel Open Arms.

On 30 January at 13:00h CET the Alarm Phone received a call from a satellite phone: 17 people, among them 6 women and 3 children, left Zuwara the day before at 22:00h. They were equipped with life jackets but the oil was about to finish. They stated to have seen a green and a white airplane. The shift team received a GPS position which was given at 13:16h to the authorities, as well as to Open Arms and reconnaissance aircraft Moonbird. The next position came in at 13:40h and was only 0.5 nm away from Maltese search and rescue zone. The Alarm Phone estimated the arrival in the zone at 13:54h and reported this to RCC Malta. When the shift team called at 14:05h to the officer of duty no information was given. Meanwhile the contact to the travellers was lost. At 14:25h Open Arms reported to the Alarm Phone that they have launched their speed boats ten minutes ago. To investigate the rescue RCC Malta was called 16:47h. The officer told that they were searching in that area by aircraft and they have seen how Libyan coast guard approached a rescue. The Alarm Phone tried to reestablish contact to the travellers but failed. The next day in the morning an email was sent to the authorities in order to ask what happened to the travellers. Calls to the so-called Libyan coast guard were unsuccessful. Finally the shift team learned from Twitter that the 17 people were brought back to war zone Libya by the vessel Fezzan.

The second call on 30 January reached the Alarm Phone at 17:00h CET. The people on board stated to have no food and water left and water was about to enter the boat. They informed to have left Sabratha the day before at 21:30h. A GPS position was transferred verbally under a difficult connection situation, the position was 60nm away from Lampedusa. Half an hour later all details were shared with the competent authorities and the NGO rescue vessel Open Arms, which replied that it will proceed to the given GPS position. RCC Malta stated in an email at 17:57h to check the area and take all necessary actions. In order to be able to calm the travellers down the Alarm Phone called RCC Malta to ask if they started a operation. The officer refused to give information and hung up. The shift team lost contact to the travellers until 20:00 when a new GPS position was transferred and immediately shared with all relevant actors. RCC Malta sent an email informing that they have send an aircraft. At 20:40h the travellers told the shift team they see the lights of a ship and Open Arms informed the Alarm Phone of the beginning of the rescue. Two hours later a tweet by Open Arms were published saying the rescue of 100 people were successful.