Rescue report no. 11

Crew of Humanity 1 during the RHIB trainings on the central Med. — Alessio Cassaro / SOS Humanity

22.02.24

Latest information:

After disembarking 77 survivors, the Humanity 1 is detained in Crotone, Italy. The reasons given for this are unfounded and illegitimate.

Last updated on 5 March 2024 at 18:00 CET.

Rescues

3
Survivors

77
Witnessed interceptions

2
Distant ports

1

Gefunden! Das erste Boot wurde von Seabird, einem Aufklärungsflugzeug von Sea-Watch, entdeckt und gemeldet. Das zweite Boot fand unsere Crew, während sie mit den Ferngläsern Ausschau hielt.
Die Boote waren jeweils stark überbesetzt und verfügten über keinerlei Rettungs- und Navigationsausrüstung. Es handelte sich in beiden Fällen um Holzboote.
Medizinische Situation: Die Geretteten waren erschöpft, seekrank, dehydriert und unterkühlt. Unter ihnen sind viele Kinder und sogar ein Neugeborenes.
Als sicherer Hafen wurde für die erste Rettung erst Genua und dann Ortona zugewiesen. Nach mehreren Nachfragen durch unseren Kapitän wegen des schlechten Wetters, wurde Tarent als Hafen für die Ausschiffung zugewiesen. Bei der zweiten Rettung wurde Marina di Carrara als sicherer Hafen zugewiesen.

Search and Rescue Operations

Karte vom Zentralen Mittelmeer mit den Einsatzdaten der Humanity 1

Details:

Distress alert reported by: mayday relay on international distress channel 16 via radio

Location: international waters off the Libyan and Tunisian coast

Condition of the boat: overcrowded, no life jackets

Number of people intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard: around 50

Weather: good visibility, 0.5 metres wave

Timeline and communication with authorities:

11:50 CET Whilst in international water in position 33°32.1’E 12°12.8’E,receives mayday relay by Frontex aircraft Eagle 1 regarding a boat with approx. 50 persons on board, no life jackets in position 33°25’N 011°45’E.

12:41 CET Humanity 1 receives updated position of distress case by airplane Eagle 1 via VHF; new position is 33°29’N 011°44’E.

12:53 CET EAGLE1 is leaving the area.

13:29 CET Lookout of Humanity 1 informs about unidentified patrol vessel on horizon.

13:37 CET Captain of Humanity 1 calls unidentified patrol vessel on channel 16 in position 33°30’N 011°47’E; no response.

13:38 CET Lookout of Humanity 1 observes unidentified patrol vessel approaching a small boat (assumed distress case).

13:41 CET Captain of Humanity 1 tries to reach Libyan rescue coordination centre (LY RCC) over telephone; line is occupied. Captain tries other provided numbers, call doesn’t go through, no answer. Captain tries primary number again, which remains occupied.

13:53 CET Captain again tries to reach unidentified patrol vessel in vicinity on channel 16, no answer.

13:59 CET Captain tries to reach unidentified patrol vessel via channel 16 to inform them that it is illegal to bring people back to Libya and that Humanity 1 is monitoring the case and on stand-by, ready to assist the people in distress.

14:00 CET Humanity 1 sends email to LY RCC, Italian maritime rescue coordination centre (IT MRCC), Maltese rescue coordination centre (MT RCC) informing them about the distress case and the availability to render assistance.

Approx. 14:00 CET Airplane Seabird 2 is on scene.

14:02 CET Call via VHF from a sender identifying himself as so-called Libyan Coast Guard, asking the Humanity1 to change course North and to leave the scene. The Humanity 1 starts altering course towards North.

14:12 CET Captain calls aircraft Seabird 2 via VHF to ask whether they can identify the vessel; negative. Seabird informs Humanity 1 about people in water and that they are about to issue a mayday relay.

14:14 CET VHF call by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard requesting Humanity 1 to leave the scene. Humanity 1 is continuously leaving the scene.

14:15 CET The so-called Libyan Coast Guard is calling again, requesting the Humanity 1 to leave the scene, which Humanity 1 is already doing.

14:17 CET Mayday relay by aircraft Seabird 2: 33°34’N 011°44’E at 13.16 UTC, sharing on scene observations from the air; blue rubber boat with approx. 20 persons on board, no live-saving equipment, approx. 10 persons in the water close to the rubber boat trying to swim away from the Libyan patrol vessel, which is close-by and throwing rings in the water but unable to get all people out of the water.

14:18 CET Captain of MV Humanity 1 calls so-called Libyan Coast Guard, asking whether they require assistance regarding the people in the water. The Humanity 1 is proceeding North and offering assistance.

14:25 CET The so-called Libyan Coast Guard calls via VHF, again requesting the Humanity 1 to leave the area and threats “I am fire gun” if the Humanity 1 does not follow instructions to leave scene. The Humanity 1 is already leaving the scene.

14:34 CET The Humanity 1 sends an email to LY JRCC, IT MRCC, MT RCC informing them that the Humanity 1 had visual on the target and witnessed an illegal interception performed by unidentified patrol vessel (so-called Libyan Coast Guard on the radio) in position 33°34.0’N 011°44.1’E in international waters off the Tunisian coast. The Humanity 1 also informs the authorities that the Humanity 1 is leaving the area.
Distress alert reported by: civil reconnaissance aircraft Seabird 2 (Sea-Watch)

Location: international waters, 70 kilometres off the Libyan coast, 65 kilometres off the Tunisian coast

Condition of the boats: three small fibreglass boats in similar condition: all overcrowded, unseaworthy and people exposed to the elements; none of them carrying lifesaving appliances. One is filled with water.

Number of people rescued: 77

Number of people intercepted: unknown.

Number of people missing: 1 person reported missing at sea by survivors on board Humanity 1.

Medical condition: A lot of people suffering from hypothermia and seasickness.

Weather: good visibility and 0.5 metres waves

Timeline and communication with authorities:

15:37 CET Aircraft Seabird 2 informs Humanity 1 via email about a distress case; white fiberglass boat with approx. 20 people on board, position 33°45’N 011°58’E, in close vicinity to Humanity 1.

15:49 CET Distress case spotted. Humanity 1 initiates launching of RHIBs (fast rescue boats).

15:55 CET Captain sends email to Libyan, Italian and Maltese rescue coordination centres (LY JRCC, IT MRCC, MT RCC) to inform about the case and the ability to render assistance to the distress case.

15:57 CET Lookout of Humanity 1 spots a patrol vessel, type Corrubia class naval boat.

15:59 CET RHIB launch completed, Humanity 1 in position 33°43.6’N 11°53.3’E.

16:03 CET RHIBs reach the distress cases and report first assessment of situation to the bridge: 2 boats, unseaworthy, no lifesaving appliances, one filled with water. Due to imminent danger, RHIB crew starts rescue operation.

16:15 CET Humanity 1 informs LY JRCC, MT RCC and IT MRCC via email about the arrival on scene, confirms several distress cases by first assessment of the RHIB crew. Humanity 1 informs that they are providing immediate assistance to the persons in distress and rescuing them without delay in compliance with international law.

16:17 CET There are now three overcrowded boats without lifesaving appliances in close vicinity to Humanity 1, in total approx. 90-100 people on all three boats.

16:19 CET Patrol vessel that identifies as Libyan Coast Guard calls Humanity 1 via VHF and orders captain to leave the scene. Captain explains that Humanity 1 is currently assisting people in distress and can only follow the posed request to leave the scene after rescue is completed.

16:20 CET Patrol vessel launches an inflatable boat – a tender.

16:21 CET So-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel calls again to repeat request towards Humanity 1 to leave the scene; captain repeats that Humanity 1 is currently conducting a rescue operation.

16:21 CET Tender from so-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel approaches boats in distress and RHIBs that are conducting rescue operation.

16:22 CET Bridge informs all crew about the tender approaching.

16:25 CET RHIB of Humanity 1 reports to the bridge that one person on one of the boats in distress refuses assistance and leaves the scene.

16:26 CET Tender arrives on scene of ongoing rescue operation of the other two boats; RHIB crew reports they are being threatened by rifle and are told to leave the scene immediately by people on board the tender; RHIB interrupts life jacket distribution and retreats and remains in stand-by; tender approaches a boat in distress and 2 persons from tender enter the boat.

16:27 CET At least one person from tender enters another boat in distress.

16:27 CET One of these boats then starts to move away from the scene. People are falling and/or jumping into the water; on stand-by RHIBs of Humanity 1 take immediate action and throw floating devices and start to recover people; people on board the tender of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard do not take any action to assist.

16:28 CET Person from tender of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard who is now inside one of the boats in distress fires a gunshot.

16:28 CET On scene aircraft Seabird 2 calls so-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel requesting them to immediately end their reckless operation, which leads to people jumping in the water; asking the so-called Libyan Coast Guard to retreat from the scene and allow Humanity 1 to complete the rescue.

16:29 CET So-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel calls Humanity 1 on channel 16 and asks them to stop engine.

16:33 CET Captain calls LY JRCC; explains that the so-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel was approaching during rescue. Officer on duty requests Humanity 1 to leave the scene and states that people were jumping into the water because Humanity 1 arriving. Captain clarifies that Humanity 1 was first vessel on scene and was already conducting rescue until the situation escalated after that so-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel arrived, causing a panic situation. He tells JRCC Libya to inform their boat on the scene that Humanity 1 will cooperate and leave the area as soon as people are successfully retrieved from the water.

16:41 CET Captain calls German flag state to report security incident in international waters. He informs that the so-called Libyan Coast Guard vessel threatened Humanity 1 and people in distress by firing a gun shot in the water, close to people in the water and RHIBs of Humanity 1; MRCC Bremen advises to leave the scene to secure safety of the crew; Captain urges MRCC Bremen to get in contact with LY JRCC to demand them to end their violent actions, German flag state confirms that they will contact LY JRCC via email.

16:41 CET RHIB reports back to bridge that people from the tender of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard were threatening them with a gun.

16:41 CET Captain orders RHIBs to leave the scene immediately and return to Humanity 1.

16:48 CET Captain calls LY JRCC to inform that Humanity 1 is leaving the scene; no response.

16:52 CET Both RHIBs and 77 survivors recovered and Humanity 1 speeds up to full ahead to leave the scene. People remain in the water at this moment.

16:52 CET Captain informs Seabird 2 that RHIBs are recovered and that Humanity 1 leaves the scene. Seabird 2 answers to remain on scene to make sure all remaining people in the water will be recovered.

17:05 CET Humanity 1 reports the security incident in position 33°43.6’N 011°51.9’E via email to LY JRCC, MT RCC, IT MRCC and German flag state: Humanity 1 was on-scene commander but had to stop the rescue operation on the advice of the German flag state due to threat by guns and a gunshot in the water by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard.

17:46 CET Humanity 1 informs LY JRCC, MT RCC, IT MRCC via email that Humanity 1 rescued 77 people from the 3 boats in distress and about first medical assessment of the persons. Humanity 1 requests a place of safety to promptly disembark all 77 survivors who are currently on board.

19:41 CET Humanity 1 asks LY JRCC, MT RCC and IT MRCC via email for immediate intervention concerning the serious security incident and witnessed interception: Due to the life-threatening intervention by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, the crew had to abandon a rescue operation on the advice of the German flag state. 77 survivors had been taken on board Humanity 1. An unknown number of persons in distress was taken on board the Libyan vessel by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. One survivor on board Humanity 1 reports that one person drowned during the incident. Humanity 1 urges to secure the disembarkation of all persons on board the Libyan patrol vessel in a place of safety in line with international law.
In the late evening of 4 March, Humanity 1 received a 20-day detention notice. The reasons for this are illegitimate and unfounded.

The Italian authorities made the accusation that the arrival of the Humanity 1 caused people to jump into the water, thereby creating a dangerous situation. In fact, the Humanity 1 was the first ship on the scene and our crew had already started rescue operations when the so-called Libyan Coast Guard arrived. Until then, the rescue was calm and professional.

It was only when the masked men arrived on the Libyan patrol boat and threatened us and the people in the water with firearms that the situation escalated and people jumped or fell into the water. When these men fired a shot, the Humanity 1’s crew had to abort the rescue due to the violence and leave the scene, even though there were still people in the water. It was the so-called Libyan Coast Guard who broke the law and created a life-threatening situation. At least one person is believed to have drowned as a result of their violent intervention.

The authorities accuse us of not following the instructions of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and rescue coordination centre. In fact, the Libyan authorities issued unlawful instructions that the captain was unable to follow: The so-called Libyan Coast Guard asked the Humanity 1 to leave, even though the crew was in the middle of the rescue operation and a boat was already filled with water. The captain of the Humanity 1 replied that he would complete the rescue operation, as he was obliged to do so under international law, and that he would not leave the scene until the rescue operation had been completed.

The highest court in Italy has also recently confirmed once again that returning people to Libya is illegal. Therefore, the captain should never have passed over the rescue to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard based on applicable law. However, he was forced to do so due to the threat of violence.