Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 11 November 2022

Case name: 2022_11_11_Eastern Med_1060

Situation: 8 people arrive on Samos

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Eastern Med - Aegean Sea

Summary of the Case: On the 11th of November, the Alarm Phone received an alert about 8 young men on Samos Island, who were in need of urgent assistance. They were very cold and wet and were without food or water. At 15.14 CET, we alerted the Greek authorities and NGOs on the island, informing them that the group needed urgent medical attention due to health problems, that they needed food and water urgently, and that they wanted to apply for asylum in Greece. The group continued to contact us, asking when assistance will come as they were suffering a great deal. At 19.09 CET, we receive an email from MSF who informed us they believe they found the group of 8 people. However, by night-time, no help had come for the group who told us that 'Will anyone save us? We need help, we are dying here', they also told us that they ‘cannot breath from fear, it makes terrifying sounds, a difficult night for us’. The next morning, we sent another email to the Greek authorities and NGOs to inform them that the group had not been found and that they were in even greater need of assistance having spent the night out in the cold, without water, facing dehydration and exposure to weather conditions. We receive a reply from MSF who advise that they will go to the position provided to provide medical and humanitarian assistance. In the afternoon of the 12th of November, we receive email confirmation from MSF that they had found the group who were in emotional distress, exhausted and had sustained minor injuries.