Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 6th of January 2024
Case name: 2024_01_06-EASTERN MED - 009
Situation: Shipwreck near Rhodos, 36 people found by Turkish Coast Guard, 3 people missing
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Eastern Med

Summary of the Case:
In the morning of the 6th of January, Alarm Phone was alerted by a relative to a group of 18 people in distress at sea between Rhodos and Fethiye. The relative told us that they are about to sink and sent us video which shows water in the boat and people screaming. We try to reach the group ourselves but it seems like their phone is off.
At 06:56 CET, we sent an alert via email to the relevant authorities, including the Turkish Coast Guard(TCG) and the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG). At 07:35 we manage to get an officer from the TCG on the phone, who told us that the TCG had sent a patrol boat to the location but were still waiting for an update. Shortly after, the relative told us that a coast guard asset had reached the boat but they did not know which one. Around 9:45 CET we learn from the relative that the people were taken by the TCG and corrected that the group size was 28 not 18 people. The relative told us that the TCG tried to prevent the people to communicate with their families. At 11:40 CET we reached the same TCG officer by phone. They told us that the operation was still ongoing and that the TCG had informed other ships in the vicinity because 3 people were missing. At 14:11 CET we called TCG Ankara, the officer told us that the operation was still ongoing, that the total group number was 39 people, 36 rescued and 3 missing. They told us that the TCG are still searching along with one helicopter, and that a helicopter of the HCG is also operating in the area. At 16:17 the TCG informed us that the operation was still ongoing and that the 3 missing people are apparently a baby and its parents, a man and a woman. The next morning, the 7th of January at 7:10 CET, we called the TCG again and they shared that the operation was still ongoing but the missing people had not been found yet. At 16:35 CET we call again the TCG and received the same news.

We do not know for certain what has become of the missing family, our hearts is with them and their families. This tragic shipwreck shows once more how deadly and dangerous migration is being made by European border policies. Safe routes and open borders now!

Position: 36.36525°N 28.72314°E
Tweets and Links: https://x.com/alarm_phone/status/1744040389277790548
\-Article from TCG: https://www.sg.gov.tr/fethiye-aciklarinda-baslatilan-arama-kurtarma-faaliyetlerine-devam-edilmektedir-06-01-24
Article in Greek: https://www.newsbomb.gr/ellada/story/1508104/navagio-me-21-metanastes-anoixta-tis-rodou