BREAKING! Six shipwrecks and almost 200 deaths off #Libya in September!

Hundreds of people have died in the Central Med over just a few days & again European authorities keep silent. Those who survived are alive only thanks to the efforts of fishermen. https://alarmphone.org/en/2020/09/27/stop-the-mass-dying-at-sea/

As in August, most shipwrecks that happened in September were not recognised by any authority. With the exception of a few, we only heard of these tragic deaths at sea because traumatised survivors or brave fishermen reached out to #AlarmPhone to make their voices heard.

1st shipwreck: 22 people died and 45 survivors detained.

IOM reported that on 14/09 a boat was rescued by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. They arrived too late for 22 people who died after the boat capsized. The 45 survivors were imprisoned in the detention centre of Zawya.

2nd shipwreck: At least 20 people feared to have drowned.

On 17/09, a white rubber boat capsized off Zawya. There were around 75 people on board. A survivors told us that at least 20 people went missing and probably lost their life, including several women and children.

3rd shipwreck: 3 people died off Garabulli.

On 19/09 a fisherman found a deflating boat with 54 people on board. He could rescue only 21 people & had to leave 33 people behind. Another fisherman later rescued 30 people but it was too late for 3 people who had already drowned.

4th shipwreck: two people died in Zuwara port whilst escaping arrest.

On 19/09 a fisherman rescued 102 people off Zuwara Whilst the fisherman rescued all the shipwrecked, 2 of them died after reaching the Zuwara port when trying to escape arrest and imprisonment. This is Hadi:

5th shipwreck: 111 people missing, feared dead!

The most lethal shipwreck reported in 2020 occurred on 21/09. More than 110 people lost their life after a tube burst & deflated. Only 9 people survived by clinging to a plank & were rescued by a fisherman after many days at sea.

A shipwreck in the making:

On 22/09, a boat in distress with 86 people alerted #AlarmPhone. It took ~12 hours for the so-called Libyan Coast Guard to intervene. The people said that 4 people fell in the water but it is unclear if they are missing or returned to the boat.

Another shipwreck in the making: 15 people drowned off Al Khoms.
~115 people in distress called #AlarmPhone on 24/09. Vessel Cape Guinea sheltered them for ~12h but didn't rescue. #Seabird monitored its interception by the so-called Libyan Coastguard but 15 people had drowned.

6th Shipwreck: 16 people died off Al Khoms.

On 25/09 IOM reported that a fisherman had rescued a boat in distress off Khoms. The fisherman rescued 22 of the 38 people in distress. The remains of 3 people were retrieved, whilst 13 people are missing.

#Borderskill

The several shipwrecks that happened in the past days are the result of the violent border regime financed by Europe.
They are the result of the confiscation of the much needed rescue ships & of the grounding of #Moonbird. They are the result of the lethal rescue gap in the Med!

We express our solidarity with families & friends of the dead and the missing. We are devastated that we were not able to do more & prevent these losses.

We promise to continue in our fight against Europe’s deadly borders and for a just world where everyone is free to move.