Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – July 13th 2021

Case name: 2021_07_13-CM503

Situation: Five women, four children and 71 men in distress in Maltese SAR, rescued from sea to Malta 24h hours after first alert. Three people died at sea.

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean

Summary of Case In the early morning of July 13th Alarm Phone was called by a group of five women, four children and 71 men in a green wooden boat in Maltese SAR zone. At the time of the distress call, people on the boat informed us their engine had broken and water had started to enter their boat. We informed the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Rome and authorities in Malta at 04.12 CEST. Throughout the next hours the travellers passed up to date GPS to us, which we forwarded to authorities. At 06.15 CEST people on the boat informed us some of their group had fallen into the sea, and water continued to enter their boat. Upon querying authorities about an estimated time of arrival of a SAR vessel we received no answer. At 10.04 CEST We informed merchant vessels in the vicinity of the distress case. During several calls around midday people on the boat impressed on us the severity of their situation and worsening weather conditions. At 17.21 CEST people on the boat informed us they were in the process of being taken aboard another ship. Upon calling MRCC Rome and authorities in Malta for information who was rescuing, we did not receive any response. In the morning of July 14th the media reported the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) has rescued around 81 people from sea in the early morning of July 14th, 24h after our first alert to authorities. Three travellers were found dead.

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July 13th

05.48 CEST

11.09 CEST

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16.51 CEST

July 14th

10.24 CEST and

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July 13th

10.48 CEST