Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 30th of January 2023

Case name: 2023_01_30-ATL004

Situation: 57 people in distress in the Atlantic Ocean, rescued by Salvamento Maritimo to Fuerteventura

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Atlantic Ocean

Summary of the Case: In the evening of the 30th of January 2023 the Alarm Phone shift team was alerted by a relative to a group of 57 travelers, including 7 women on black rubber boat in distress in the Atlantic Ocean. The relative informed us about a second boat traveling near the first one. We decided to open another case for the second boat. The travelers on the first boat had left from Boujdour, Morocco at 6 o’clock that same morning.

The relative forwarded us a GPS-position they had received from the boat. We relayed all the information we had to the Spanish Search and Rescue organization Salvamento Maritimo via E-Mail. Later on we were able to establish a direct contact to the travelers and they forwarded us their current GPS position, which we forwarded to Salvamento Maritimo. When calling Salvamento Maritimo around midnight they had localized the two boats and launched a rescue mission. We stayed in contact with the travelers who asked urgently for help, informing us about water entering the boat and that there had been a helicopter circling above them, which had left at the time of the call. We also informed the relative about the current situation. Around 2 o’clock we called Salvamento Maritimo again to ask about the estimated time of arrival of the rescue vessels. They confirmed that they will arrive soon. Also on vessel finder we could locate a rescue vessel “Salvamar Nizar” about 3 nm away from the last received position of the travelers. We forwarded those information to the travelers.

The next morning at 7 o’clock we saw on vessel finder that the rescue vessel “Salvamar Nizar” was close to Fuerteventura. The travelers were not reachable anymore. Later on in the morning we called Salvamento Maritimo who confirmed the successful rescue of two boats, but would not give us further information. Therefore we called other Spanish authorities who confirmed the rescue of 116 people on two boats, matching nationalities with the travelers we were in contact with, to Fuerteventura.