Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – March 2nd 2021

Case name: 2021_03_02-WM570

Situation: 35 people, including 7 women and 3 children departed near Guelmim, lost for two days, intercepted by Marine Royal

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Western Mediterranean

Summary of Case
In the afternoon of March 2nd we were alerted to a boat in distress carrying 35 people, including seven women and three children by a relative of a person on the boat. The relative had last been in contact with the boat at 04.00 CET and had had no news since. We received a phone number of a person on the boat and tried to establish contact throughout the afternoon, without success. The weather in the region was worsening. At 15.55 CET we informed authorities of the case via e-mail. At 16.19 CET we called Salvamento Maritimo in Las Palmas who had received our e-mail but had no futher information on this case. The operator told us they would start searching for the boat via aircraft. At 22.09 CET we called Las Palmas again who told us they had not found the boat but would continue the search in the morning.

At 13.15 CET March 3rd we called authorities in Las Palmas for an update on the aerial search. The operator related the plane had found nothing and would continue the search in the afternoon or the following day. Still we had not been able to establish direct contact to the boat. At 19.32 CET authorities in Las Palmas confirmed they would conduct another search flight in the morning of March 4th. At 23.30 CET we called MRCC Rabat; the operator did not have any, or refused to provide us with, information matching this case.

At 09.35 CET March 4th the relative who had initially alerted us to the case called again, relating they had had contact to the boat. According to the relative the boat was now off the coast of Tan-Tan and there was a problem with the engine. They sent a screen shot of a position on an online map. We called MRCC Rabat, relating this information and asking for news. We were told to call back later. Still, we were unable to contact people on the boat directly. At 11.28 CET we called MRCC Rabat again. The operator said they had forwarded the information to Marine Rolaye and a search was ongoing but had not been successful yet. At 11.45 CET the relative called again saying they had been in touch with the boat about 40min. ago and informed us the people were ok but it was likely that the boat would sink. Still, we were unable to reach anyone on the boat. At 13.01 CET MRCC Rabat called us and let us know that Marine Royal had rescued 35 pepole from the area of the GPS position we had provided. Shortly afterwards the relative who had alerted us to the case confirmed this information.

Twitter Chronology:
March 4th

10.40 CET https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1367409156228067328

14.10 CET https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1367460866204049420