This factsheet outlines a summary of the distress cases witnessed in August 2020 by Sea-Watch’s Airborne crew with Moonbird. In August 2020 we flew 18 missions, with a total flight time of 81 hours and 43 minutes. We spotted around 704 persons in distress.
Overview of the distress cases and empty boats spotted
Maltese Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zone
- 3 distress cases were rescued by the Italian Coast Guard and disembarked in Italy
- 3 distress cases arrived presumably independently in Italy
- 1 distress case was rescued by the merchant vessel Maersk Etienne, not yet disembarked at the time of editorial deadline
- 1 distress case was rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta and disembarked in Malta
- 1 distress case was rescued by the independent rescue vessel Louise Michel, transferred to the Italian Coast Guard and the NGO vessel Sea-Watch 4, and disembarked in Italy
- 1 distress case was intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and disembarked in Libya
- The outcome of 1 distress case is unclear
- Estimated number of persons in distress: around 530
Libyan Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zone
- 1 distress case was rescued by the NGO vessel Sea-Watch 4 and disembarked in Italy
- 1 distress case was rescued by the independent rescue vessel Louise Michel, transferred to the Italian Coast Guard and the NGO vessel Sea-Watch 4, and disembarked in Italy
- 1 distress case was intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and disembarked in Libya
- The outcome of 3 distress cases remains unknown
- Estimated number of persons in distress: around 174
These missions highlight once again:
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the deadly consequences of European migration policies
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the systematic non-assistance of European Member States and the delegation of rescue operations to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard
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the involvement of merchant vessels in rescue operations due to the lack of a European sea rescue program
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the unjustified and systematic delays of European Member States to fulfill their obligation to conduct and coordinate sea rescue in their Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zones
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the need for NGO vessels in the Central Mediterranean in order to uphold the law and save human lives
