Jack Sapoch Profile picture
Nov 29, 2022 17 tweets 12 min read Read on X
1/ Dozens were lost at Melilla's Barrio Chino border crossing on 24 June, but why?

Today @LHreports & partners release an investigation reconstructing the event, making use of a detailed 3d model of the crossing. In this thread, I'll break down our development & use of the model
2/ Since the summer, we have been working with @el_pais @derspiegel @lemondefr @EnassMedia on this investigation on this horrific day on the Spanish/Moroccan border over the summer
3/ Step one in our investigation was archiving visual evidence. We collected 100+ videos from open source channels and received unpublished material from press & private sources.

Over several months, we geolocated the clips and sequenced them chronologically.
4/ Looking at the amount of material and the complexity of events, we saw the need for a detailed model of the crossing to assist with analysis, interviews, and visualisation
5/ LiDAR data from Spain's Instituto Geográfico Nacional served as the foundation for the model. By processing a point cloud of the Barrio Chino area in @CloudCompareGPL, we were able to produce .obj files for base terrain and building layers, which we then worked on in #b3d
6/ At 0.5 points/m2, the accuracy of the point cloud was useful but ugly when converted to mesh. We went in and manually refined the shapes of buildings
7/ Understanding the interior layout of the crossing was complex. It's a maze of fences, gates, and barbed wire.
8/ To better understand the layout of the crossing & surrounding area, we collected more reference materials. Old YouTube videos and new Google Streetview of the Spanish side were useful.

Most important were videos taken inside Barrio Chino by @bearamalhosilva over the summer
9/ After this, we were able to make use of the model for internal communication.

We uploaded a version of the model to @sketchfab to allow access from a web browser for use in meetings.

We also used renders for location referencing in interviews with survivors from the day.
10/ The model also allowed us to fine-tune our understanding of the filming location of various pieces of visual evidence

CW: violence
11/ Now in the publication phase, the model features prominently in our joint-investigation. We produced a video which utilizes various animated sequences in the model.

The sequence here shows Spanish drone recording compared to shots from @JaviBernardoP
12/ I haven't written much about our findings here. To understand these, it's better to read/watch through one of the publications attached to the investigation

Full video in English can be found here, along with links to all partner investigations:

lighthousereports.nl/investigation/…
13/ @el_pais published great pieces for the investigation in Spanish:

video: elpais.com/videos/2022-11…

text: elpais.com/espana/2022-11…
14/ And here is @lemondefr in French, with the @derspiegel piece out later today

lemonde.fr/international/…
15/ This model plays an important role in a larger investigation into what happened in Melilla on June 24th.

Without it would have been difficult understand what happened where, at what time & who’s responsible
16/ @alisonkilling @bash_deeb @arthur_wrb and I worked together closely on the visual reconstruction...

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More from @JackSapoch

Feb 17, 2022
1/ Why did the bodies of two men - Sidy & Didier - wash up along the Turkish coast days after multiple sources arrived with them alive on the Greek island of Samos? This THREAD unpacks the methods behind our months-long investigation into their death & pushback. #OSINT
2/ Evidence suggests that they drowned after being thrown overboard by the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG). The 2 men were thrown into the water along with 1 other person who survived - Ibrahim - whose testimony was the starting point for our investigation.
3/ There were no additional witnesses or recordings of the deaths, so we first focused on verifying Ibrahim's testimony. Through relatives, group-members + other sources we got testimonies, images, video, & audio of the events prior to the deaths.
Read 22 tweets
Oct 6, 2021
1/ For years, the EU's most violent pushbacks have been conducted by men in balaclava. We spent months investigating - who are the masked men? This THREAD unpacks our investigation's findings & methods on pushbacks from Croatia, Romania, and Greece borders

CW: Police violence
2/ Since February, @LHreports, @srfnews, @derspiegel, @ARDstudioWien, ARD Monitor, @vijestihr, @libe, @novosti, @disinfaux and @pointer_data have been investigating violent pushbacks at Europe’s borders
3/ Our team recorded 14 pushbacks across EU borders, showing 189 people pushed back by 42 officers. We collected further evidence through OSINT, whistleblowers, and official reports. First up, let's focus on Croatia, where we recorded 11 pushbacks
Read 27 tweets

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