Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 22nd of September 2017

Case name: 2017_09_22-WM162
Situation: Alarm Phone alerted to emergency situation in the Western Med
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Western Mediterranean Sea

Summary of the Case: On Friday the 22nd of September 2017, our Alarm Phone shift team was contacted around 7pm by a person in Morocco, who informed us that a boat carrying 12 people had left at 11am. The point of departure in Morocco was unclear. An Alarm Phone member in Morocco reached the boat at 7.41pm and found out that they had left near Cap Spartel and were on a rubber dinghy. They could see a red and white ferry to their right. While water had started to enter the dinghy, they were not yet in acute distress. At 7.55pm, the Spanish search and rescue Organisation Salvamento Maritimo informed us that they had been informed about the boat and were searching for it. At 8.13pm, we informed the travellers that Salvamento Maritimo was searching for them. At 8.51pm they stated that they could see a search and rescue helicopter. A few minutes later, Salvamento Maritimo stated that they had localised the boat and had informed the Moroccan Navy as it was still in Moroccan waters. At 9.05pm, we asked Salvamento Maritimo to do the rescue instead of the Moroccan Navy, but they declined. At 9.10pm, we talked to the passengers who said that they could see the Moroccan Navy. They were calm but sad that they would be returned to Morocco, the place they had sought to escape. Our member in Morocco talked to the group and could confirm that they were fine after having been returned by the Moroccan Navy.