Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 12th of October 2023
Case name: 2023_10_12-ATL069
Situation: 50 travellers in distress in the Atlantic Ocean got rescued by Salvamento Maritimo.
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Atlantic Ocean

Summary of the Case: In the evening of the 12th of October, a group of travellers in distress in the Atlantic called the Alarm Phone shift team. The group of 50 people, including one child and 13 women, had left Tan Tan, Morocco, on the 11th of October in a rubber boat. The group shared their position with the shift team and informed us, that the motor did not work due to high waves, that water was entering the boat and there were no lifejackets onboard. The shift team immediately alerted the Spanish search and rescue organisation Salvamento Maritimo, relaying all the information we had. Salvamento Maritimo told the shift team, that there were multiple rescue operations ongoing and that there were no capacities for an immediate rescue. At around 01:00 CEST, the rubber boat started losing air fast – the shift team called Salvamento Maritimo once again and made them aware of the absolute emergency. Following this call, the shift team made contact with the terrified travellers – who shortly afterwards saw a boat belonging to the Spanish search and rescue organisation approaching them. Then, contact was lost, but we assume that the boat was rescued and the 50 people were brought to safety.