This factsheet outlines a summary of the distress cases witnessed in September 2020 by Sea-Watch’s Airborne crew from the aircraft Moonbird and Seabird. In September 2020 we flew 8 missions, with a total flight time of 65 hours and 06 minutes. We spotted around 333 persons in distress. Since 04.09., Moonbird has been grounded by the Italian authorities and is currently not allowed to fly.
Overview of the distress cases, empty boats and dead bodies spotted
Maltese Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zone
- 1 distress case was rescued by the Italian Coast Guard and disembarked in Italy
- Estimated number of persons in distress: around 28
Libyan Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zone
- 1 distress case likely arrived independently in Lampedusa, Italy
- 3 distress cases were intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and pulled back to Libya
- Estimated number of persons in distress: around 305
These missions highlight once again:
- the deadly consequences of European migration and border policies
- the systematic non-assistance of European Member States and the delegation of rescue operations to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard
- the involvement of merchant vessels in rescue operations due to the lack of a European sea rescue program
- the unjustified and systematic delays by European Member States to fulfill their obligations to conduct and coordinate sea rescue in their SAR zones
- the need for NGO vessels in the Central Mediterranean in order to uphold the law and save human lives
