22/12: Possible pushback by the Greek Coastguard near Samos

23.12.2020 / 12:10 / Aegean Sea

Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 22nd of December 2020
Case name: 2020_12_22-AEG740
Situation: Possible pushback by the Greek Coastguard near Samos
Status of WTM Investigation: Ongoing
Place of Incident: Aegean Sea
Summary of the Case:
Just after 13:00h CET on 22 December we received information about a group of travelers from a relative of one member of the group. They told us that the group had encountered the Greek coastguards who had stolen the travelers money and beaten up the women and children near Samos. They had then been divided into two groups and been placed in the notorious orange life rafts. The group had then been picked up by the Turkish coastguard. We contacted the Turkish coastguard for information, but they told us that they had no information about a rescue in that position in the previous 24 hours. They later sent an email acknowledging the rescue of 26 people close to that position on 19 December.

We were not able but our contact suggested that the people concerned were with the Turkish authorities. We have not yet been able to confirm this with the travelers themselves. If we find any updates, we will include them in this report.

Last update: 15:36 Mar 30, 2021

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