19/10/22: 23 people pushed back in Muğla region

20.10.2022 / 20:04 / Eastern Med

Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 19th of October 2022

Case name: 23 people pushed back in Muğla region

Situation: 23 people pushed back in Muğla region

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Eastern Med / Aegean Sea

Summary of the Case:

In the afternoon of the 26th of October 2022, we were alerted by relatives to a boat in distress near the Greek island of Euboea. When we got in touch with the people, they stated that there were 29 people in the group and that the Greek coastguard was near them, but tried to bring them back to Turkey instead of rescuing.

We sent an email to alert authorities at 16:37 CEST.

Shortly afterwards we tweeted:
“#PUSHBACK IN THE MAKING!? We are in contact with 29 people on a boat off the #Greek island of Euboea. Reportedly @HCoastGuard is with them, but when asked if they help, the people only reply:"No, they will bring us back".
@HCoastGuard: Respect their rights, don't push them back!”

Afterwards, we lost contact to the people on board. Late in the evening, the relative contacts us again and informs us about a location in Turkish waters (38°45’51.5”N 26°26’59.7”E). He states that the Greek Coast Guard brought the boat back there. He tells us that there is 29 people including children, that there is water entering the boat, and they are in danger.

At 22:21 CEST, we alerted the Turkish coastguard who confirmed to start a search and rescue mission.

At 00:10 CEST, the relatives confirm that the people were rescued and that everyone is okay, but they are back in Turkey.

We could not re-establish a direct contact with the people afterwards, and so we could not talk with them in detail about what happened.

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1585281266689212418

Last update: 20:14 Apr 30, 2023

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