Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 7th May 2022

Case name: 2022_05_07-ATL044

Situation: Around 45 travellers in distress in the Atlantic Sea, following shipwreck 13 survivors were rescued by Salvamento Maritimo while at least 28 travellers remained missing.

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Atlantic Sea

Summary of the case: On Saturday the 7th of May 2022, the Alarm Phone shift team was alerted by a relative to a group of around 45 travellers, including one woman, in distress in the Atlantic Sea. The travellers had left from south of Boujdour in the early hours of the morning, heading towards the Canary Islands. The relative told us that the travellers did not carry a phone with them. However, we relayed the information we had to the Spanish search and rescue organisation Salvamento Maritimo.
The following day, we learned about two shipwrecks in the Atlantic Sea. This boat, we found out, had shipwrecked due to strong wind which had thrown most of the travellers in the water. 13 survivors who had managed to cling on to the side of the overturned rubber boat had been rescued by Salvamento Maritimo while at least 28 travellers remained missing. According to the travellers, most of their companions had drowned during the night before rescue had arrived.
Our thoughts and deepest solidarity are with the families and friends of those missing after this catastrophe as well as with the survivors who had to endure this traumatic experience.