09/12: 14 people from Algiers missing, fate unknown

10.12.2022 / 12:13 / Western Mediterranean

Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 9th of December 2022

Case name: 2022_12_09-WM080

Situation: 14 people from Algiers missing, fate unknown

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Western Mediterranean

Summary of the Case: On December 9th, 2022, the Alarm Phone was contacted by concerned relatives about a boat that departed near Algiers at 3:00 AM on December 8th. We were unable to establish direct contact with the boat and alerted the Spanish search and rescue organization Salvamento Marítimo (SM) and the Algerian Coast Guard (MRCC Algiers). Due to the seriousness of the case we urged both authorities to initiate search and rescue operations. SM refused on the basis of not having an exact position and the Algerian authorities refused any communication or cooperation with us, repeatedly hanging up the phone when called and otherwise failing to respond to the alert. The following day, the family members of those on board the boat also repeatedly contacted the Spanish authorities, including Guardia Civile, begging them to conduct a search and rescue. The case continued in the same manner for the next two days, with the Alarm Phone repeatedly contacting SM and attempting to contact MRCC Algiers for information about the boat or a search and rescue operation. According to SM, the boat was in the Algerian SAR zone, indicating that MRCC Algiers had lied to Alarm Phone when it said that they required advice from SM before they could undertake any SAR operations. On December 12th, the Alarm Phone shift also contacted the Red Cross in Algiers but we were never able to establish what happened to the 14 people. We fear the worst and condemn the inaction of MRCC Algiers and SM, which lead to unnecessary suffering and death of those attempting to make the dangerous journey into Europe.

Credibility:

Border police patrols
While the exact location of patrols is of course constantly changing, this line indicates the approximate boundary routinely patrolled by border guards’ naval assets. In the open sea, it usually correspond to the outer extent of the contiguous zone, the area in which “State may exercise the control necessary to prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws” (UNCLOS, art. 33). Data source: interviews with border police officials.
Coastal radars
Approximate radar beam range covered by coastal radars operating in the frame of national marine traffic monitoring systems. The actual beam depends from several different parameters (including the type of object to be detected). Data source: Finmeccanica.
Exclusive Economic Zone
Maritime area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which the coastal state exercises sovereign rights for the purposes of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, the seabed and its subsoil and the superjacent waters. Its breadth is 200 nautical miles from the straight baselines from which the territorial sea is measured (UNCLOS, Arts. 55, 56 and 57). Data source: Juan Luis Suárez de Vivero, Atlas of the European Seas and Oceans
Frontex operations
Frontex has, in the past few years, carried out several sea operations at the maritime borders of the EU. The blue shapes indicate the approximate extend of these operations. Data source: Migreurop Altas.
Mobile phone coverage
Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network coverage. Data source: Collins Mobile Coverage.
Oil and gas platforms
Oil and gas platforms in the Mediterranean. Data source:
Search and Rescue Zone
An area of defined dimensions within which a given state is has the responsibility to co-ordinate Search and Rescue operations, i.e. the search for, and provision of aid to, persons, ships or other craft which are, or are feared to be, in distress or imminent danger. Data source: IMO availability of search and rescue (SAR) services - SAR.8/Circ.3, 17 June 2011.
Territorial Waters
A belt of sea (usually extending up to 12 nautical miles) upon which the sovereignty of a coastal State extends (UNCLOS, Art. 2). Data source: Juan Luis Suárez de Vivero, Atlas of the European Seas and Oceans