🆘! Over 150 lives at risk! Will #Europe let them drown?
In the night, we were alerted by 2 boats in distress off #Libya, ~85 & ~70 people. Contact to both was lost. Authorities were informed but don't react adequately. Do not use #Covid19 as an excuse to let people die at sea!
Both boats are still missing at sea! European coastguards reject responsibility & say that the Libyan authorities are the ‘competent’ authorities. The Libyans tell us: “We cannot go out at sea as we don’t have protective masks”. #Covid19 is used by all sides to let people drown.
1 of the 2 boats with ~70 people on board called us again! They are still in distress. They reached the Malta SAR zone (N34°48 E013°27), are tired, anxious & need rescue urgently. RCC #Malta either does not pick up at all or puts us on hold.
#DontLetThemDrown #LeaveNoOneBehind
We do not know where the ~150 people are & if they are still alive. We alerted authorities to one boat over 28 hours ago & to the second over 31 hours ago, but they remain wholly unresponsive. @Armed_Forces_MT @Frontex @guardiacostiera
#LeaveNoOneBehind
At 10.10h CEST, we were able to reconnect with one of the boats in distress, carrying ~70 people. Communication with them was difficult but their coordinates show they are deeply in #Malta SAR zone. A rescue operation has to be launched now, further delays will risk their lives.
Survivors of the second boat with ~85 people told us this evening that they were returned to #Libya. They are still locked into a ship with people from other intercepted boats. According to other sources, they are not allowed to disembark in the harbour of #Tripoli.
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