Update Alarm Phone from yesterday:
Our biggest fears seem to become confirmed. A few days ago we were in
direct contact with a refugee-boat carrying altogether about 500
travellers. They were towing a second refugee-boat, also with about 500
travellers on board. Rescue was not in sight and over many hours, the
situation grew more and more desperate until, eventually, the towed boat
capsized. Our contact to the boat later broke off (for our log book
entries, see: -
https://alarmphone.org/en/2016/05/27/statement-in-light-of-the-current-situation-in-the-mediterranean-sea/?post_type_release_type=post).
Now the survivors have reached Italy and through their witness accounts,
it seems confirmed that hundreds died, maybe up 550 people. Some people
off the sinking boat seemed to have been able to swim to the first boat
and survive. Others were able to stay alive until rescue services
arrived. However, many more seem to have lost their lives. Some news
sources speak of 700 deaths over the past few days, others of 900
(http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36408029).
Europe, these are your deaths. Once again you have turned the sea into a
deadly deterrent. You will again blame the smugglers for these
fatalities but we know that they are only a direct effect of your
policies, an industry that you keep subsidizing. We will struggle on to
counter your policies of deterrence, leaving-to-die and abandonment:
Ferries not Frontex!
Am 26.05.2016 um 12:21 schrieb marion@antira.info:
> Boat with 500 Syrian and Iraqi refugees sank about 70 km North East of
> Zuwara, Libya
>
> While Idomeni camp is evicted and the Aegean route is blocked: Another
> mass dying as direct consequence of EU migration politics?
>
>
> Today early morning at 5:25 am CET the WatchTheMed Alarm Phone received
> a distress call coming from a satellite phone: two big wooden boats,
> carrying approximately 1000 refugees had started from Libya and their
> calls to MRCC Rome remained unanswered. Since then the activists of the
> Alarm Phone stayed in direct contact with the boat communicating with
> them in Arabic and regularly updating the MRCC Rome about the situation
> and especially their GPS-position. The first position was passed to MRCC
> Rome at 6:21 am CET.
> At 8.45 we received another desperate call from one of the boats
> informing us, that the second boat sank and that hundreds of people are
> in the water and drowning. Again the Alarm Phone alerted all
> authorities as well as cargo ships in vicinity about this dramatic SOS.
> In the meanwhile obviously rescue operations started, but we fear, that
> this help will come too late for hundreds of refugees.
>
> On the two big boats mainly refugees from Syria and Iraq were on their
> way to find safety. Until middle of March they came mainly via the
> Aegean Sea, a way that is now blocked by the EU and their new Turkish
> partners. Another time it is proved that to block refugees leads only to
> more dangerous trips and to more death.
>
> To be more clear: We don't claim that there is unwillingness or delaying
> from MRCC part. But we believe that there is still lack of rescue
> capacities. Already in the last two days more then 5000 refugees had
> been rescued when they desperately tried to escape from Libya towards
> Italy. Some of the rescue boats are still on their way to bring those
> rescued to Italy. A lot of private and commercial ships are ready to
> help in the rescue operations, but often they are not able to reach
> sinking boats quick enough. The only solution would be safe passages and
> ferries for all.
>
> Ferries not Frontex!
> _________________________________________
Home »
» WatchTheMed Alarm Phone Statement: Boat with 500 Syrian and Iraqi refugees sank about 70 km North East of Zuwara, Libya