This factsheet outlines a summary of the distress cases witnessed January – March 2024 by Airborne with Seabird 1 and Seabird 2.1
In January – March we conducted 40 operations, with a total flight time of 205 hours and 38 minutes. We spotted around 2.755 persons in distress aboard 47 different boats.
1. Overview of boats in distress and empty boats spotted
Maltese Search and Rescue (SAR) zone
- 180 persons, onboard 2 boats in distress, were intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and pulled back to Libya
- 219 persons, onboard 5 boats in distress, were rescued by the Italian authorities or arrived independently in Italy
- 205 persons, onboard 3 boats in distress, were rescued by the NGO vessel Sea-Eye 4, Life Support and Mare Jonio2, and disembarked in Italy
- 142 persons, onboard 1 boat in distress, were rescued by the merchant vessel Vault and disembarked in Italy
- The outcomes for 135 persons, onboard 5 boats in distress, remain uncertain
Libyan Search and Rescue (SAR) zone
- 543 persons, onboard 10 boats in distress, were intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and pulled back to Libya
- 78 persons, onboard 2 boats in distress, were rescued by the Italian authorities or arrived independently in Italy
- 773 persons, onboard 11 boats in distress, were rescued by the NGO vessels Ocean Viking, Sea-Watch 5, Humanity 1, Geo Barents, Life Support, in 1 rescue supported by the NGO sailing boat Trotamar lll3, and disembarked in Italy
- 40 persons, onboard 1 boat, completely disappeared and probably drowned close to Lampedusa.
- The outcomes for 440 persons, onboard 7 boats in distress, remain uncertain
We must assume that the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex was involved in the narratives for at least 978 persons, on board 18 boats sighted by Seabird 1 and Seabird 2. Of these, 3 boats, carrying 90 persons, were partly rescued by the NGO vessel Humanity 1.4 3 boats, with around 143 persons, were rescued by the Italian authorities or arrived independently to Italy. 1 boat in distress with 142 persons on board was rescued by a merchant vessel and disembarked in Italy. The outcomes for 3 boats in distress, with around 105 persons, remain unknown. 8 boats in distress, around 498 persons, were intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and pulled back to Libya.Therefore, we must conclude that Frontex likely facilitated at least 8 interceptions and subsequent pullbacks to Libya.
In the months of January – March 2024, we sighted 32 empty boats. The outcomes of 27 empty boats remain unknown, 3 were rescued by NGOs and 2 were intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard.
2. Details and outcome of the distress cases
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3. These events highlight once again:
- the deadly consequences of European migration policies
- the systematic non-assistance of European Member States and the delegation of interceptions to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, even in a European SAR zone
- the systematic delays of European Member States to take action and save lives in their SAR zones
- the participation of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex in the interceptions and pull- backs undertaken by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard
- the need for NGO vessels in the Central Mediterrane- an in order to uphold the law and save human lives
1 Since 2017, together with the Swiss NGO Humanitarian Pilots Initia- tive, Sea-Watch monitors the Central Mediterrane- an Sea with its aircraft Seabird 1 and Seabird 2.
2 Sea-Eye 4 is operated by the NGO Sea-Eye, Life Support by Emergency and Mare Jonio by Medi- terranea Saving Humans.
3 Ocean Viking is operated by the NGO SOS Medi- terranee, Sea-Watch 5 by Sea-Watch, Humanity 1 by SOS Humanity, Geo Barents by MSF and Trotamar lll by Compass Collective.
4 Please see distress cases R, S, T.
