Rescue Report No. 8

In five rescues, the crew of Humanity 1 rescues a total of 148 people from distress at sea. One person, accompanied by another, is evacuated for medical reasons. All other rescued people can safely go ashore in Bari or Taranto.

Last updated 11.00 CET 30 October 2023.

Rescue operations

5
Survivors

148
Minors

28
Medical evacuations

1

The boats set off from Libya. Some of them were at sea for several days without water or food. None of the boats was equipped with navigation or rescue equipment.
Medical situation: The survivors were exhausted, seasick, dehydrated and partyl disoriented. Some showed signs of physical violence. One person had to be evacuated for medical reasons.
Nationalities of the survivors: Cameroon, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, State of Palestine Senegal, the Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic
As a place of safety, the port of Bari, over 1,000 kilometres away, was assigned for the first three rescues. The crossing there took three days. For last rescues the assigned port changed from Civitavecchia to Taranto because of the weather.

Details:

Notification of distress at sea: First reported by Alarmphone, later confirmed by SeaBird2.

Number of distress alerts: 6

Location: International waters, 172 km off the Libyan coast, Maltese search and rescue zone

Condition of boat: Unseaworthy, overcrowded wooden boat with no rescue or navigational equipment

Number of people: 31 (including one woman and several minors)

Medical condition: Exhausted but stable. Several people with physical injuries

Communication with authorities:

On 15.10. at 10:34 CEST, Humanity 1 receives a distress call by email from Alarm Phone with information about a boat in distress, which Alarm Phone sends to the Maltese and Italian rescue coordination centres. A short time later, Alarm Phone sends an update on the position and condition of the boat in distress. At 12:51 CEST, the NGO reconnaissance aircraft Seabird 2 informs the relevant rescue coordination centres and the Humanity 1 by email that they have spotted the boat in distress. At 13:39 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the Maltese and Italian rescue coordination centres by e-mail of his intention to search for the boat in distress, which is approximately 137 km away from the current position of Humanity 1, and thus to comply with the duty to render assistance according to applicable maritime law under Article 98, UNCLOS, Paragraph 1.1 of SOLAS regulation V/33 and SAR Convention 1979, Annex, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1.3.2.

At 23:00 CEST the captain of Humanity 1 informs the Maltese and Italian rescue coordination centres by e-mail about our arrival on scene, the condition of the boat in distress and the initiation of the rescue operation. At 00:22 CEST (16 Oct), the captain of Humanity 1 informs the relevant authorities that the rescue has been completed and asks for a place of safety for the 31 survivors.

The captain of the Humanity 1 receives no response from the rescue coordination centres during the search for the boat in distress. Neither the Maltese nor the Italian rescue coordination centres fulfil their legal duty to coordinate the search for the people in distress. Information about the distress case at sea is only passed on by non-governmental organisations.

After the rescue is completed, Humanity 1 and the Italian and Maltese rescue coordination centres receive an e-mail from Alarm Phone at 00:50 CEST informing them of another boat in distress. At 00:55 CEST, the Italian rescue coordination centre assigns Bari to Humanity 1 as a place of safety for the disembarkation of the rescued – about 1,100 km from the location of the rescue. At 03:24 CEST, the Italian Rescue coordination centre instructs Humanity 1 to search for the other reported distress case at sea.
Notification of distress at sea: Alarm Phone

Number of distress alerts: 6

Location: International waters, 203 km off the Libyan coast, Maltese search and rescue zone.

Condition of boat: Unseaworthy, overcrowded rubber boat without water, food, rescue or navigation equipment

Number of people: 31

Medical condition: Exhausted but stable. Many people seasick, several with dizziness.

Weather conditions: 1.5 meter wave, wind force 4 (Bft)

Communication with authorities:

On 16.10. at 00:50 CEST the Humanity 1 receives a distress call by email from Alarm Phone with information about a boat in distress, which Alarm Phone sends to the Maltese and Italian Rescue Coordination Centres. During the night, a fishing boat also reports a boat in distress with a similar description by radio. The captain of Humanity 1 then calls the Italian Rescue Coordination Centre and also informs them in writing at 03:05 CEST by e-mail about the distress call received and the assumption that it is the same boat that was reported by Alarm Phone. At 03:24 CEST, the Italian Rescue Coordination Centre instructs Humanity 1 to search for the boat in distress.

During the night and the subsequent morning, Alarm Phone sends four updates on the position and condition of the boat in distress.

At 10:26 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the Maltese and Italian Rescue Coordination Centres by email about Humanity 1’s arrival on the scene, the condition of the boat and the initiation of rescue operations. At 11:55 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the relevant authorities of the completion of the rescue and notes another open distress case reported to the bridge at 10:05 CEST via radio on the international distress channel. This case is located 33 km from Humanity 1.

At 12:11 CEST, Humanity 1 receives instructions from the Italian Rescue Coordination Centre to search for the additional boat in distress.
Notification of distress at sea: VHF international distress channel 16

Number of distress alerts: 1

Location: International waters, Maltese search and rescue zone

Condition of boat: unseaworthy and overcrowded fibreglass boat, no lifesaving equipment, no lifejackets, engine not running, rolling and listed on starboard side, danger of capsizing

Number of people: 28 (including 5 women and one baby)

Medical condition: fuel burns, exhaustion, dehydration, inflamations, severe headaches

Communication with authorities:

On 16.10. at 10:05 CEST, Humanity 1 becomes aware of another open distress case at sea reported by radio on the international distress channel and subsequently informs the Italian rescue coordination centre. At 12:11 CEST Humanity 1 receives instructions from the Italian rescue coordination centre to search for the boat in distress.

At 14:09 CEST and 14:47 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the Italian rescue coordination centre by e-mail, with a copy to the Maltese rescue coordination centre, of the arrival at the scene, the condition of the boat and the need for rescue measures. The Italian rescue coordination centre then instructs Humanity 1 by phone to perform the rescue.

At 16:50 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the coordinating Italian rescue coordination centre that the rescue has been completed and that navigation to the assigned safe port of Bari is resumed.
In the afternoon, the captain of Humanity 1 requested a medical evacuation for a survivors whose health condition had deteriorated significantly over the day. In response, the Italian Rescue Coordination Center sent a patrol boat to take the man and his close companion to Siracusa, Italy, for further treatment. By 18:16 CEST, the evacuation was complete. Humanity 1 was instructed by the Italian Rescue Coordination Center to continue the voyage to Bari with the 88 rescued persons remaining on board.
Notification of distress at sea: first reported by Alarm Phone, later confirmed by SeaBird2.

Number of distress alerts: 5

Location: international waters, Maltese search and rescue zone, 316km off the coast of Libya

Condition of boat: Unseaworthy fibreglas boat without live saving equipment.

Number of people: 8 (including four children)

Medical condition: Exhausted, partly seasick, but stable

Communication with authorities:

On 25.10. at 10:34 CEST and 10:47 CEST the Humanity 1 receives a distress alert by email from Alarm Phone with information about a boat in distress, which Alarm Phone sends to the Maltese and Italian rescue coordination centres. At 11:06 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the Maltese as well as the Italian rescue coordination centres by email that Humanity 1 is 8,5 km away and that the crew is searching for the boat in distress, thereby fulfilling the duty to render assistance under applicable maritime law in accordance with article 98 UNCLOS, paragraph 1.1 of SOLAS Convention V/33 and SOLAS Convention, Annex, Chapter 1, paragraph 1.3.2.

At 12:47 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the rescue coordination centres that Humanity 1 is still searching for the boat in distress. No response.

At 14:39 and 14:53 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the Maltese and Italian rescue coordination centres by email of the arrival on scene, the condition of the boat and the initiation of a rescue operation.

While the rescue operation is ongoing, at 14:44 CEST Humanity 1 is informed about a blue wooden boat with an estimated 70 people in distress. The distress case is reported by Alarm Phone via email to rescue coordination centres and vessels in the area.

At 15:50 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the relevant authorities that the rescue of eight people has been completed and highlights the reported open distress case – the blue wooden boat – which is 46 km away from Humanity 1. At 16:25 CEST, the Italian rescue coordination centre assigns Civitaveccia as the place of safety for the disembarkation of the survivors – approximately 926 km from the location of the rescue and instructs Humanity 1 to search for the blue wooden boat in distress at 16:41 CEST.
Notification of distress at sea: first reported by Alarmphone, later confirmed by SeaBird2.

Number of distress alerts: 3

Location: international waters, Maltese search and rescue zone, 370 km off the coast of Libya.

Condition of boat: Overcrowded, unseaworthy, unmanoeuvrable fibreglass boat with no rescue or navigation equipment.

Number of people: 50 (including several unaccompanied minors)

Medical condition: exhausted, confused, disoriented, many suffering from seasickness and burns from fuel and salt water

Communication with authorities:

After the Humanity 1 was ordered by the Italian rescue coordination centre to search for a reported distress case at sea on 25.10.23, further distress cases are reported by Alarm Phone and the civilmonitoring aircraft Seabird. At 20:49 CEST, the Italian rescue coordination centre announces new coordinates and requests the Humanity 1 to go there.

At 23:19 and 23:52 CEST, the captain informs the Italian rescue coordination centre that Humanity 1 has arrived on scene and informs about the condition of the boat, which is in danger of capsizing due to strong waves, and that Humanity 1 is about of the initiation of rescue measures. After a call, the Italian rescue coordination centre also confirms the instruction to rescue the boat in distress via email at 00:43 CEST on 26.10.2023. The weather-related challenging rescue operation is completed at 01:56 CEST, 50 people are brought safely on board.

At 02:22 CEST, the captain of Humanity 1 informs the Italian and Maltese rescue coordination centres that the rescue has been completed and points out that there is another open distress at sea 130 km away from Humanity 1. The captain also points out that due to a storm on the route to Civitaveccia, safe passage will not be possible and emphasises the vulnerable situation of the survivors, therefore asking for the assignment of a closer port of safety to disembark the survivors. Humanity 1 then receives information by telephone from the Italian rescue coordination centre that the Maltese rescue coordination centre is coordinating the search and rescue of the boat in distress and instructs Humanity 1 not to search for the boat but to proceed to the assigned port of safety in Civitaveccia.

The next morning, at 09:28 CEST, the captain repeats his urgent request for a closer port of safety, as the transfer to Civitaveccia is not possible due to an approaching storm and the survivors need to be cared for ashore as soon as possible.

At 14:29 CEST Humanity 1 receives an e-mail from the Italian rescue coordination centre in which Humanity 1 is assigned Taranto on the east coast as a new place of safety to disembark the survivors. At the time Taranto is around 500 km away from the position of Humanity 1.
On 27 October 23 at 04:54 CEST Humanity 1 receives a radio message from MRCC requesting to proceed to the last known position of a sailboat south of Crotone. Written confirmation and request are received by the bridge at 08:02 CEST. Humanity 1 assessed the situation and confirmed the distress case to the MRCC at 10.50 CEST and stays close to assist until all 50+ people on board are rescued by the Italian Coast Guard.