🔴BREAKING! Six shipwrecks and almost 200 deaths off #Libya in September!
Hundreds of people have died in the Central Med over just a few days & again European authorities keep silent. Those who survived are alive only thanks to the efforts of fishermen.
As in August, most shipwrecks that happened in September were not recognised by any authority. With the exception of a few, we only heard of these tragic deaths at sea because traumatised survivors or brave fishermen reached out to #AlarmPhone to make their voices heard.
🔺1st shipwreck: 22 people died and 45 survivors detained.
IOM reported that on 14/09 a boat was rescued by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. They arrived too late for 22 people who died after the boat capsized. The 45 survivors were imprisoned in the detention centre of Zawya.
🔺2nd shipwreck: At least 20 people feared to have drowned.
On 17/09, a white rubber boat capsized off Zawya. There were around 75 people on board. A survivors told us that at least 20 people went missing and probably lost their life, including several women and children.
🔺3rd shipwreck: 3 people died off Garabulli.
On 19/09 a fisherman found a deflating boat with 54 people on board. He could rescue only 21 people & had to leave 33 people behind. Another fisherman later rescued 30 people but it was too late for 3 people who had already drowned.
🔺4th shipwreck: two people died in Zuwara port whilst escaping arrest.
On 19/09 a fisherman rescued 102 people off Zuwara Whilst the fisherman rescued all the shipwrecked, 2 of them died after reaching the Zuwara port when trying to escape arrest and imprisonment. This is Hadi:
🔺5th shipwreck: 111 people missing, feared dead!
The most lethal shipwreck reported in 2020 occurred on 21/09. More than 110 people lost their life after a tube burst & deflated. Only 9 people survived by clinging to a plank & were rescued by a fisherman after many days at sea.
🔸A shipwreck in the making:
On 22/09, a boat in distress with 86 people alerted #AlarmPhone. It took ~12 hours for the so-called Libyan Coast Guard to intervene. The people said that 4 people fell in the water but it is unclear if they are missing or returned to the boat.
🔸Another shipwreck in the making: 15 people drowned off Al Khoms.
~115 people in distress called #AlarmPhone on 24/09. Vessel Cape Guinea sheltered them for ~12h but didn't rescue. #Seabird monitored its interception by the so-called Libyan Coastguard but 15 people had drowned.
🔺6th Shipwreck: 16 people died off Al Khoms.
On 25/09 IOM reported that a fisherman had rescued a boat in distress off Khoms. The fisherman rescued 22 of the 38 people in distress. The remains of 3 people were retrieved, whilst 13 people are missing.
The several shipwrecks that happened in the past days are the result of the violent border regime financed by Europe.
They are the result of the confiscation of the much needed rescue ships & of the grounding of #Moonbird. They are the result of the lethal rescue gap in the Med!
We express our solidarity with families & friends of the dead and the missing. We are devastated that we were not able to do more & prevent these losses.
We promise to continue in our fight against Europe’s deadly borders and for a just world where everyone is free to move.
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Alarm Phone is contact with 47 people in a boat adrift who fled from #Libya. Weather is extremely dangerous and immediate rescue is needed!!
The merchant vessel BASILIS L is on its way to the boat in distress in order to assist the 47 people. However, we fear that it will return the people to #Libya. They need to be brought to a place of safety, not to the torturous conditions of Libya!
Pullback in the making!!!
The merchant vessel #BasilisL reached the boat but is only monitoring it until the sc Libyan Coastguard arrives to force the people back to #Libya, where they had tried to escape from.
Stop this pullback! They need to be brought to a place of safety!
"Bonjour mon frère, nous sommes dans un bateau et nous avons un problème, s'il vous plaît aidez-nous. Euh, il y a des enfants, des familles - il y a de l’eau qui rentre (dans le bateau) - nous n'avons rien pour le sauvetage pour la sécurité. " @Utopia_56
Le fait que la position initialement donnée par les personnes en détresse était proche de la ligne séparant les eaux françaises et britanniques soulève des questions urgentes sur la coopération entre les services de secours pour effectuer le sauvetage de ce bateau.
Nous tenons à reconnaître les efforts de tous les acteurs de la recherche& sauvetage dans la Manche, dans ce et bien d’autres cas. Il reste néanmoins une question : pourquoi ces 43 personnes et des milliers d'autres ont-elles été obligées d'entreprendre un si dangereux voyage ?
🚩Alarm Phone Statement on the deadly incident in the #Channel today.
“Hello brother we are in a boat and we have a problem please help. Uh, we have children and family … water coming ... we don't have anything for rescue for ... safety.” @Utopia_56 alarmphone.org/en/2022/12/14/…
The fact that the position of the initial rescue operation was on the border line between French and British waters raises urgent questions on the cooperation of the Coastguards to make sure this boat was rescued.
While we ought to recognise the efforts of all search and rescue actors in this case and over the past months in the Channel the final question remains: why were these 43 people and thousands of others forced to make such a dangerous journey?
🆘 Relatives informed us about a group stranded on an islet on #Evros river. The position they sent shows the people on #Greek territory. On the phone, the border guard station of #Soufli promised a quick rescue. We have no direct contact with the group & hope help is on its way!
The officer on duty of the border guard station in #Soufli told us on the phone that they have sent a team to the location but could not find the people. In the past, this line was used to cover up #pushbacks. We are worried - where are these people?
The people called us directly today & appear to be on the Greek bank of #Evros river. They report they are ~40 people incl. 10 children & 16 women, many with serious medical conditions. They say that 2 persons went missing during a #pushback & a woman could give birth any moment.
🆘~70 people adrift in Malta Search and Rescue zone!
Alarm Phone alerted RCC #Malta via email, but, once again, they are not reachable on the phone. The people in distress report that the engine stopped and that they need rescue urgently! Don't waste time, rescue now!
The approximately 70 people were able to restart their engine but have now run out of fuel! They report that one person on board has died, just 25 nautical miles from the Italian SAR. We have alerted authorities several times already - rescue is needed urgently!
🚩Don't forget them at sea!
The ~70 people called us again, nobody came to rescue them yet. The people are suffering as they don't have food and fuel is out as well. We urgently demand to rescue the group to prevent a tragedy at night!
Overnight, the situation became even worse. More people were pushed back to the islet & the group now consists of 70 people. The people reported shootings from border authorities. They still cannot move away from the islet & are exhausted.
We also contacted @Frontex which is active in the region, and asked how they address this situation. We received no answer. Once more, Frontex backs up their partners & their murderous practice.
End the blockade - let them move!
This group continues to be subjected to all kinds of physical & psychological violence. In their last message that came in over night, they report: 'Hell is really here. A little girl died today. She was stung by a scorpion. We couldn't do anything'.