Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations - 8/9th of July 2015

Case name: 2015_07_08/09-WM28
Situation: Three distress situations in the Western Med, presumably three interceptions by Morocco
Status of WTM Investigations: Concluded
Place of Incidents: Western Mediterranean Sea, near Morocco

Summary of the Cases: On Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th of July 2015, the Alarm Phone shift team was alerted to three situations of distress in the Western Mediterranean Sea. In the evening of the 8th, at around 10pm, we were informed by a contact person that his brother had taken a boat from Tanger/Morocco in the early morning, seeking to reach Spain (vessel 1). However, he had not heard back from him and was worried about his well-being. He believed that the vessel had been intercepted by the Moroccan Navy but needed to have a confirmation. Unfortunately, as no phone number could be passed on, at first, no such confirmation could be obtained. In the afternoon of the 9th, the travellers of vessel 1 confirmed that they had been intercepted and returned to Morocco.

In the morning of the 9th, the Alarm Phone was informed about a vessel carrying 4 people in the Western Med (vessel 2). While they had no food, they had some water left and were eager to move further towards Tarifa in Spain. After a few more exchanges, contact to the passengers was lost. In the meantime, the Alarm Phone learned about another vessel in distress (vessel 3). Our shift team then informed the Spanish rescue agency Salvamento Maritimo. Later on, Salvamento contacted us and informed us that the Moroccan Navy had intercepted two vessels carrying 14 people in total.