Newest information:

The crew of Humanity 1 rescued 64 people in distress. The Italian authorities assigned Marina di Carrara in the north of Italy as a place of safety. On the way there, Humanity 1 assisted the Italian Coast Guard in the rescue of around 40 people.

Last update: 02 February 24, 10:00 CET

rescue operations

2
survivors

190
minors

45
distant ports

2

Found! The boat of the first rescue was spotted by the Sea-Watch airplane Seabird. Our crew spottet the second boat during lookout.
Medical situation: The survivors were exhausted, seasick, dehydrated and hypothermic. Among them were many children and even a newborn baby
The boats were heavily overcrowded and had no rescue or navigation equipment. In both cases, they were wooden boats.
As ports of safety Genoa and then Ortona were assigned for the first rescue. After several enquiries by our captain due to the bad weather, Taranto was assigned as the port for disembarkation. For the second rescue, Marina di Carrara was assigned as place of safety.

Search and rescue operations:

Karte von den Such- und Rettungszonen Malta, Libyen und Italien.

Details:

Report of distress case: Osprey 1, Alarmphone

Location: Maltese search and rescue region, 101 northmiles off the libyan coast

Condition of the boat: heavily overcrowded wooden boat, adrift and listing to portside, no life-saving equipment

Numer of people: 126

Medical condition: Many people with dehydration, hypothermia, exhaustion. Several people were seasick and vomiting upon embarking.

Weather: Winds up to 20 kts and waves 1.5-2 metres high

Timeline and communication with the authorities

While the Humanity 1 is in position 24° 59′ N 014° 06′ E, in the Maltese search and rescue zone, the bridge of the Humanity 1 receives a mayday alert via VHF from Osprey 1 at 21:50 CET on 17/01/2024 about a distress case located approximately 130 nautical miles from the position of the Humanity 1.

After no search and rescue operations have been initiated by the competent authorities, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the rescue coordination centres in Malta, Italy and Libya at 22:36 CET about setting course for the reported distress case to provide assistance in accordance with applicable maritime law under Article 98 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, paragraph 1. 1 of SOLAS Convention V/33 and the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, Annex, Chapter 1, paragraph 1.3.2.

On 18/01/2024 at 06:20 CET, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the relevant rescue coordination centres about arrival on scene, the condition of the boat and the initiation of rescue. At 08:42 CET, the captain informs the relevant authorities that the rescue of 126 survivors has been completed. He receives no response from the rescue coordination centres.

At 08:57 CET, the Italian rescue coordination centre (IT MRCC) assigns Genova to the Humanity 1 as a place of safety for the disembarkation of the rescued people – about 1,100 km from the place of rescue.

Pointing out the high additional psychological and physical strain on the survivors on board Humanity 1 and the danger for crew and survivors due to deteriorating weather conditions with strong winds and swells in the Tyrrhenian Sea, the captain of Humanity 1 asks the Italian authorities three times for a closer place of safety.

At 12:36 CET, the IT MRCC assigns Humanity 1 Ortona, approximately 1,250 kilometres away, as a place of safety.

Referring to dramatically deteriorating weather conditions in the Adriatic Sea, the captain informs the authorities at 12:56 CET and 16:36 CET about the danger for crew and survivors on board Humanity 1 on route to Ortona. The forecast weather conditions do not correspond to the stability limits of Humanity 1 and would therefore put the ship in danger.

On 19 January at 11:05 CET, the captain of Humanity 1 repeats his request for a closer place of safety for the third time due to the dramatically deteriorating weather conditions. He informs the authorities that he will be forced to seek shelter in the Golf of Taranto in order not to endanger the crew and survivors and ship. On 20 January at 07:22 CET, the captain of Humanity 1 repeats his request again and makes it clear that a safe passage to Ortona will not be possible. At 08:31 CET, the MRCC Rome assigns Taranto to the Humanity 1 as a port of safety for the disembarkation of the rescued.
On 24 January, the crew of Humanity 1 after many hours of search spotted a boat in distress with the help of the Sea-Watch aircraft Seabird. The Italian authorities requested the Humanity 1 to assess the situation and wait for the coastguard to conduct the rescue of the 42 people. In the meantime, the crew was handing out life jackets to the survivors, who had been on sea for several days already. They are brought to Lampedusa by the Italian coastguard
On the morning of 31 January at around 07:10 CET, a patrol boat of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard comes dangerously close to the Humanity 1 56 km off the coast of Libya in international waters and crosses the bow of the ship. The patrol boat then circles the Humanity 1 twice at a distance of less than 100 metres. There is no response to the internationally recognised sound signal “Five times short”, which the Humanity 1 sent out to ask about the intentions of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. The manoeuvre of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard clearly contradicts good seamanship and could have led to a collision and exposed the Humanity 1 and her crew to a safety risk.

At 07:45 CET on 1 February, the captain of the Humanity 1 informs the relevant authorities about the dangerous manoeuvre of the so-called Libyan coastguard.
Report of distress case: Spotted by Lookout

Location: International waters, more than 70 kilometres off the Libyan coast

Condition of the boat: Unseaworthy wooden Boat, overcrowded, no life-jackets, no life-saving equipment

Numer of people: 64 (among them several children and unaccompanied minors)

Medical conditoin: Many suffer from seasickness.

Weather: 0.5 metres waves, no winds, good visibility

Timeline and communication with authorities:

At 15:02 CET, a boat in distress is sighted from the bridge of Humanity 1, about 1-2 km from the Humanity 1, which is at position: 33° 33.6′ N 012° 19.8′ E9, in the Libyan search and rescue zone.

At 15:07 CET, the captain of the Humanity 1 informs the rescue coordination centres in Malta, Italy and Libya about sailing closer and providing assistance in accordance with applicable maritime law under Article 98 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, paragraph 1.1 of SOLAS Convention V/33 and the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, Annex, Chapter 1, paragraph 1.3.2.

At 15:16 CET, the speedboats of Humanity 1 reach the boat in distress. At 15:18 CET, the captain informs the rescue coordination centres about the condition of the boat and the initiation of rescue

At 16:10 CET, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the relevant authorities that the rescue of 64 survivors has been completed.

The captain of Humanity 1 receives no response from the rescue coordination centres. At 15:42 CET, the Humanity 1 calls the Libyan rescue coordination centre to ask for coordination, but none of the officers on duty speak English, even though rescue coordination centres must be manned around the clock by English-speaking staff, as stipulated in International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Directive MSC.167(78), Annex, 6.8.

At 16:50 CET, the IT MRCC assigns Marina di Carrara to Humanity 1 as a place of safety for the disembarkation of the rescued people – about 1,200 km from the place of rescue.