Watch the Med
Development WTM site15/08: One probable shipwreck with 40 travellers feared dead. 1 boat was rescued to Lampedusa and 2 boats were probably reached Lampedusa but missing confirmation
16.08.2020 / 19:48 / Central Mediterranean Sea
Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 15th August 2020
Case name: 2020_08_15-CM281
Situation: On boat carrying 75 travellers probably shipwrecked with 40 travellers feared dead. Two boats with 22 and 62 travellers probably reached Lampedusa. One boat with 84 travellers rescued to Lampedusa.
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean Sea
Summary of the Case: On Saturday the 15th of August the Alarm Phone was alerted to four boats in distress that had departed from Libya. One boat carrying 75 travellers probably shipwrecked causing the death of at least 40 people. Two boats, carrying 22 and 62 travellers, probably reached Lampedusa but confirmation is missing and one boat carrying 84 travellers was rescued to Lampedusa.
At 16:48h CEST of Saturday the 15th of August, the Alarm Phone was called by travellers in distress that had departed from Libya the previous night. They were 65 people, including 2 pregnant women, on board of a white rubber boat. Their engine was no longer working and they had no water or food left. The people on board said they were from Syria, Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan and Guinea. The position we received was in International waters, just outside Libyan territorial waters. Given the situation of severe distress at 17:34h CEST our shift team alerted the so-called Libyan coastguard by phone. At 18:04h we also sent an email with all the information we had to Libyan, Italian and Maltese authorities. When a few minutes later, at 18:19h we received an updated GPS position we immediately passed it on to authorities. Lots of water was entering the boat and the travellers were very urgently asking for help. At 18:39h we reached the Italian coastguard on the phone. They confirmed they received our emails, but said the positions cannot be correct. Only at 19:15h did we manage to reach the so-called Libyan Coastguard again – on only one of several numbers. The officer took the information, but said we should also inform Tunisian authorities. At 19:47h we also forwarded all relevant information about the boat in distress to the Tunisian Coastguard. We then called them at 20:04h, but they said we should call back on Monday as they were not working until then. At 20:24h, a Libyan officer said he could not confirm a search and rescue operation, because the engine of their patrol vessels had problems and that they had two other targets, and we should call Tunisia. We then spoke to the so-called Libyan and Italian coastguards several times in the evening but did not received any useful information concerning our case. At 22:15h we spoke again to the travellers who were desperate and screaming that people were dying. The situation was very difficult for the travellers so we could not get an updated position. As the so-called Libyan coastguard was not answering our calls, we sent an email to Libyan and European authorities highlighting the urgency of this distress case. At 22:25h we published a tweet informing about the situation. At 22:45h and 23:55h the Italian coastguard again told us that they could not share information with us. By this time we had completely lost contact with the travellers. After several hours during which we tried to reach the so-called Libyan coastguard at least 8 times on different numbers, finally at 01:01h an officer answered the phone but only told us “tomorrow”. As we tried to insist that the situation was extremely urgent, he hung up on us. At 01:39h we reached the Tunisian coastguard who confirmed having received our emails but did not give us any information on a possible search and rescue operation. During the rest of the night and the following day, the 16th of August, we tried incessantly to pressure the different coastguards to contact a rescue operation but none of them ever confirmed that they had taken responsibility for the case. The so-called Libyan coastguard was mostly not answering our calls and the Italian coastguard always refused to give us information. During the whole day we could not reach the travellers. On the 17th of August we learned about a shipwreck off the coast of Libya with 65 people on board. As reported by UNHCR at least 45 people, including 5 children, died. Approximately 37 survivors from Senegal, Mali, Chad and Ghana, have been rescued by fishermen and detained upon disembarkation in Libya. Although we cannot confirm with certainty that this was our case, it is sadly very possible that it is.
At 19:30h of the same day the Alarm Phone was called by travellers in distress asking for help. As connection was very bad and it was difficult for us to understand what the travelers were saying it took us several hours to collect information such as number of travelers and GPS coordinates. Later we finally understood that there were 22 travellers on board including 3 women and 1 baby. At 21:54h we emailed Italian and Maltese authorities with this information. At 22:50h we managed to speak to the Maltese Coastguard who confirmed having received he email but refused to share information on a possible rescue operation. We then tried to re-establish contact with the travellers several times, however connection was always bad and either they did not answer our calls or it was difficult to understand anything. Finally at 05:10h early in the morning our shift team was able to note a position, although the last digits were missing. At 05:48h we passed this information on to authorities. At 06:40h we gave the number of the Italian coastguard to the travellers so that they could call them directly. At 09:33h we received an updated position which we again forwarded to authorities, this position was only 20 nautical miles from Lampedusa. After this we completely lost contact with the travellers. Although we don’t have confirmation we think that this boat managed to reach Lampedusa as during out last call they were very close.
Around 23:00h of the same day, the Alarm Phone was alerted to a boat in distress by a relative of one of the travellers. At 23:10h our shift team managed to speak directly to the travellers. They were 62 people, including women and children, on board of a blue wooden boat. The engine was no longer working. At 00:01h we alerted the authorities via email. At 01:10h we called the Maltese coastguard, however the officer that answered the phone hung up on us twice. At 01:30h we called the Italian coastguard who confirmed reception of our email but did not give us any further information. During the rest of the night and the following morning we continuously tried to reach the travellers again. Finally, at 11:20h we managed to speak to them and we received an updated position in Maltese SAR. At 11:28h we passed on the updated coordinates to the authorities. Our shift team attempted to call the Maltese Coastguard multiple times but they never answered. At 13:35h we received another updated position, only 30 nautical miles from Lampedusa, the travellers also told us that they had run out of water and were extremely thirsty. During the rest of the afternoon and night we completely lost contact with the travellers, however given that during our last contact they were quite close to Lampedusa, we believe that they probably arrived on the island.
Around the same time, still on the 15th of August, the Alarm Phone was alerted by a relative of a traveller, to a boat in distress carrying 84 travellers, including 4 children. At 00:14h we passed on all the information we had, including GPS position to both Italian and Maltese authorities. At 00:24h we received updated GPS coordinates which we forwarded to authorities. During the rest of the night we lost contact to the travellers, however, the following morning at 11:12h we received confirmation from the relative that first alerted us that the boat had been rescued and the travellers were brought to Lampedusa.
Twitter chronology case 1:
15/08
21.05 - https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294711831810932738
22.17- https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294730021685415939
16/08
00.00 - https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294755896392921091
09.15 - https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294895599238684673
Case name: 2020_08_15-CM281
Situation: On boat carrying 75 travellers probably shipwrecked with 40 travellers feared dead. Two boats with 22 and 62 travellers probably reached Lampedusa. One boat with 84 travellers rescued to Lampedusa.
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean Sea
Summary of the Case: On Saturday the 15th of August the Alarm Phone was alerted to four boats in distress that had departed from Libya. One boat carrying 75 travellers probably shipwrecked causing the death of at least 40 people. Two boats, carrying 22 and 62 travellers, probably reached Lampedusa but confirmation is missing and one boat carrying 84 travellers was rescued to Lampedusa.
At 16:48h CEST of Saturday the 15th of August, the Alarm Phone was called by travellers in distress that had departed from Libya the previous night. They were 65 people, including 2 pregnant women, on board of a white rubber boat. Their engine was no longer working and they had no water or food left. The people on board said they were from Syria, Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan and Guinea. The position we received was in International waters, just outside Libyan territorial waters. Given the situation of severe distress at 17:34h CEST our shift team alerted the so-called Libyan coastguard by phone. At 18:04h we also sent an email with all the information we had to Libyan, Italian and Maltese authorities. When a few minutes later, at 18:19h we received an updated GPS position we immediately passed it on to authorities. Lots of water was entering the boat and the travellers were very urgently asking for help. At 18:39h we reached the Italian coastguard on the phone. They confirmed they received our emails, but said the positions cannot be correct. Only at 19:15h did we manage to reach the so-called Libyan Coastguard again – on only one of several numbers. The officer took the information, but said we should also inform Tunisian authorities. At 19:47h we also forwarded all relevant information about the boat in distress to the Tunisian Coastguard. We then called them at 20:04h, but they said we should call back on Monday as they were not working until then. At 20:24h, a Libyan officer said he could not confirm a search and rescue operation, because the engine of their patrol vessels had problems and that they had two other targets, and we should call Tunisia. We then spoke to the so-called Libyan and Italian coastguards several times in the evening but did not received any useful information concerning our case. At 22:15h we spoke again to the travellers who were desperate and screaming that people were dying. The situation was very difficult for the travellers so we could not get an updated position. As the so-called Libyan coastguard was not answering our calls, we sent an email to Libyan and European authorities highlighting the urgency of this distress case. At 22:25h we published a tweet informing about the situation. At 22:45h and 23:55h the Italian coastguard again told us that they could not share information with us. By this time we had completely lost contact with the travellers. After several hours during which we tried to reach the so-called Libyan coastguard at least 8 times on different numbers, finally at 01:01h an officer answered the phone but only told us “tomorrow”. As we tried to insist that the situation was extremely urgent, he hung up on us. At 01:39h we reached the Tunisian coastguard who confirmed having received our emails but did not give us any information on a possible search and rescue operation. During the rest of the night and the following day, the 16th of August, we tried incessantly to pressure the different coastguards to contact a rescue operation but none of them ever confirmed that they had taken responsibility for the case. The so-called Libyan coastguard was mostly not answering our calls and the Italian coastguard always refused to give us information. During the whole day we could not reach the travellers. On the 17th of August we learned about a shipwreck off the coast of Libya with 65 people on board. As reported by UNHCR at least 45 people, including 5 children, died. Approximately 37 survivors from Senegal, Mali, Chad and Ghana, have been rescued by fishermen and detained upon disembarkation in Libya. Although we cannot confirm with certainty that this was our case, it is sadly very possible that it is.
At 19:30h of the same day the Alarm Phone was called by travellers in distress asking for help. As connection was very bad and it was difficult for us to understand what the travelers were saying it took us several hours to collect information such as number of travelers and GPS coordinates. Later we finally understood that there were 22 travellers on board including 3 women and 1 baby. At 21:54h we emailed Italian and Maltese authorities with this information. At 22:50h we managed to speak to the Maltese Coastguard who confirmed having received he email but refused to share information on a possible rescue operation. We then tried to re-establish contact with the travellers several times, however connection was always bad and either they did not answer our calls or it was difficult to understand anything. Finally at 05:10h early in the morning our shift team was able to note a position, although the last digits were missing. At 05:48h we passed this information on to authorities. At 06:40h we gave the number of the Italian coastguard to the travellers so that they could call them directly. At 09:33h we received an updated position which we again forwarded to authorities, this position was only 20 nautical miles from Lampedusa. After this we completely lost contact with the travellers. Although we don’t have confirmation we think that this boat managed to reach Lampedusa as during out last call they were very close.
Around 23:00h of the same day, the Alarm Phone was alerted to a boat in distress by a relative of one of the travellers. At 23:10h our shift team managed to speak directly to the travellers. They were 62 people, including women and children, on board of a blue wooden boat. The engine was no longer working. At 00:01h we alerted the authorities via email. At 01:10h we called the Maltese coastguard, however the officer that answered the phone hung up on us twice. At 01:30h we called the Italian coastguard who confirmed reception of our email but did not give us any further information. During the rest of the night and the following morning we continuously tried to reach the travellers again. Finally, at 11:20h we managed to speak to them and we received an updated position in Maltese SAR. At 11:28h we passed on the updated coordinates to the authorities. Our shift team attempted to call the Maltese Coastguard multiple times but they never answered. At 13:35h we received another updated position, only 30 nautical miles from Lampedusa, the travellers also told us that they had run out of water and were extremely thirsty. During the rest of the afternoon and night we completely lost contact with the travellers, however given that during our last contact they were quite close to Lampedusa, we believe that they probably arrived on the island.
Around the same time, still on the 15th of August, the Alarm Phone was alerted by a relative of a traveller, to a boat in distress carrying 84 travellers, including 4 children. At 00:14h we passed on all the information we had, including GPS position to both Italian and Maltese authorities. At 00:24h we received updated GPS coordinates which we forwarded to authorities. During the rest of the night we lost contact to the travellers, however, the following morning at 11:12h we received confirmation from the relative that first alerted us that the boat had been rescued and the travellers were brought to Lampedusa.
Twitter chronology case 1:
15/08
21.05 - https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294711831810932738
22.17- https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294730021685415939
16/08
00.00 - https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294755896392921091
09.15 - https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294895599238684673
Last update: 20:02 Dec 18, 2020
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