Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 18th October 2022

Case name: 2022_10_18-ATL125

Situation: 45 travellers in distress in the Atlantic Ocean for eight days, rescued by Salvamento Maritimo and brought to Las Palmas.

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Atlantic Ocean

Summary of the case: On Tuesday the 18th of October 2022, the Alarm Phone shift team was alerted by a relative to a group of 45 travellers, including four women of whom one was pregnant, in distress in the Atlantic Ocean. The travellers had left from Boujdour on a grey rubber boat, heading towards the Canary Islands. According to the relative, the travellers had been at sea for eight days. The relative told us that the travellers had had nothing to eat and drink for three days and that the pregnant person was ill. We were not able to reach the travellers, but through the relative we managed to get their GPS position. We immediately alerted the Spanish search and rescue organisation Salvamento Maritimo to the distress situation, relaying all the information we had. Salvamento Maritimo soon after informed us that a merchant vessel had been ordered to proceed to the travellers’ boat and stand by until the rescue vessel would arrive. At 15.43 CEST we finally managed to reach the travellers who told us that they could see the merchant vessel approaching. We explained them that rescue was on its way, but that they would have to wait a little longer. At 20.40 CEST Salvamento Maritimo confirmed that they had completed the rescue operation and that the travellers would be brought to Las Palmas.

Tweets about the case: https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1582445622275493888