Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 16th of May 2016
Case name: 2016_05_16-CM60
Situation: 150 and 65 travellers in distress off Libya, rescued
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Central Mediterranean Sea

Summary of the Case: On Monday the 16th of May, at 9.33am, Father Mussie Zerai informed our shift team about two boats in distress in the Central Mediterranean Sea. Boat 1 carried about 150 people, including pregnant women and children on a rubber boat that had left from Sabratah and boat 2 carried about 65 people, including one pregnant and sick woman on a rubber boat that had left from Tripoli. While we had their satellite phone numbers and tried repeatedly to contact them, we were unable to reach them. Shortly after we informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Rome as well as the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) Malta and informed them about both boats. They took note of the information and confirmed that they would engage.

Alarm Phone members were also in contact with the humanitarian vessel Sea Eye and informed the crew about the position of boat 2, as they were about 60 kilometres away from that position. At 12.35pm, RCC Malta confirmed that the search and rescue (SAR) operation was going on and at 12.47pm we learned via the Sea Eye that a German warship had rescued the passengers of boat 2. We asked RCC Malta for a confirmation but they did not have knowledge on the rescue. MRCC Rome refused to pass on any information about the case.

Afterwards we continued to call both boats but were unable to get through. At 4.15pm, MRCC Rome informed us that boat 1 had been rescued by Dignity I, the humanitarian vessel operated by Doctors without Borders. They also stated that the rescue of boat 2 was very likely as there were 3 rescuers in the area, as well as an airplane that was scanning the water.