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[18.05 08.06.23] The following publication by SOS MEDITERRANEE intends to shed light on events which unfolded in the central Mediterranean in the past weeks. It is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to provide a general update on maritime search-and-rescue-related matters occurring in the area we have been operating in since 2016, based on public reports by different NGOs, international organisations and the international press.

Rescues operated near daily by NGO ships, maritime authorities playing a small part in coordination of operations while still attributing distant ports that empty Search and Rescue capacities in the central Mediterranean

On May 17, the rescue ship Louise Michel evacuated 71 people from an overcrowded rubber boat in distress, less than a day after being back at sea. The crew was informed by aircraft Colibri 2 from Pilotes Volontaires about a potential distress case. The next day, the survivors were disembarked in the port of Trapani, Italy.

Between May 18 and 19, according to Italian journalist of Radio Radicale Sergio Scandura, around 700 people were rescued off the coast of Calabria by Italian coast guards, disembarked in Messina and Reggio Calabria, Italy, by Diciotti coast guard ship.

On May 19, according to civil hotline Alarm Phone, the container ship CAPE FRANKLIN rescued 48 people from a boat in distress, coordinated by the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC). The survivors were disembarked in Pozzallo, Italy.

On May 19, 26 survivors rescued by Geo Barents, vessel operated by MSF, were disembarked in Brindisi, Italy.

On May 25, Ocean Viking of the NGO SOS MEDITERRANEE was involved in a long joint operation with Emergency NGO and seabird aircraft from Sea Watch NGO, to search for a boat in distress reported by Alarm Phone, with approximately 500 people on board in the Maltese Search and Rescue Region, to no avail. The search lasted almost 48 hours: the people in distress were reportedly intercepted and forcibly brought back to Libya.

On May 26, Humanity 1 of SOS Humanity NGO rescued 88 people, including 10 minors, from an overcrowded wooden boat. Later, they were assigned the distant port of Livorno, Italy to disembark the rescued people, regardless of a second boat in distress reported by survivors. After a four-day transit, the 88 survivors were safely disembarked in Italy.

On May 27, another rescue was coordinated by the Italian MRCC, who contacted Geo Barents, operated by MSF, to assist an overcrowded boat in distress with 606 people onboard. After a long rescue operation, the survivors, including 11 women and 151 minors, were safely transferred on Geo Barents. MSF teams onboard were later instructed to disembark them in Bari, Italy. The disembarkation took place on May 30.

On May 28, sailing ship Nadir of Resqship NGO supported an overcrowded boat with about 55 people in distress, providing people with life jackets and water, then accompanying the survivors towards Lampedusa. Later, the Guardia di Finanza proceeded to their evacuation and disembarkation in Lampedusa. The same day, the crew of the Sea Eye 4, operated by Sea-Eye NGO rescued 17 people from a wooden boat in distress at sea. Immediately after, they were assigned the port of Ortona, Italy by the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, about 1,300 nautical miles away.

On May 30, the Sea Eye 4 conducted a second operation in the Maltese Search and Rescue (SAR) zone, while searching for another case of approximately 400 people in distress. They managed to rescue 32 people from an unseaworthy wooden boat. The 49 survivors were all disembarked in Ortona, Italy, on June 2nd. As the ship did not proceed immediately to the port of Ortona after carrying out the first rescue, the Sea Eye 4 has been temporarily detained by Italian maritime authorities (see next chapter).

On May 31, a new SAR asset, Mare*Go, operated by Zusammenland, was involved in a joint operation with Resqships Nadir and Seabird 2 aircraft. Mare*Go arrived first on scene and assisted the boat in distress with 31 people on board. Later, the Guardia di Finanza evacuated them. Shortly after, the same day, Mare*Go crew spotted another boat in distress with 44 people on board. The crew stayed with the boat until evacuation of the survivors by the Guardia di Finanza.

The next day, on June 1st, several rescue operations were conducted. During the night, Resqships Nadir assisted a total of 160 people on 4 boats in distress in the Maltese SAR zone.

Mare*Go crew also spotted a metal boat in distress and rescued 36 people. Shortly after, they were assigned to the distant port of Trapani, Italy to disembark the survivors, but the vessel proceeded into port in Lampedusa instead. This led to her temporary detention by Italian authorities (see next chapter).

On June 2, Emergencys Life Support rescued 29 people in the Libyan SAR zone. They were assigned by maritime authorities the very distant port of Marina di Carrara, Italy. The survivors were eventually disembarked 3 days after, on June 5, after a 70-hour navigation from the area of operations to the assigned port.

The same day, Nadir assisted a boat in distress with 73 people onboard, providing them with life jackets and accompanying them towards Lampedusa, Italy. Later, the Italian coast guards evacuated the survivors and disembarked them to Lampedusa. The next day, the same crew found several boats in distress: a first operation involved two boats in distress with 65 people on board, providing them with life jackets, before the arrival of the Italian coast guards. Later, a second operation took place: a steel boat in distress was found in the Maltese SAR zone with 39 people on board. Again, the crew provided them with life jackets and accompanied them towards Lampedusa, Italy. Later, the Italian coast guards evacuated the survivors and disembarked them to Lampedusa.

On June 7, according to Sergio Scandura, Italian coast guards were involved in 3 rescue operations in South of Calabria, one of approximately 900 people and two others of approximately 100 and 150.

Two rescue ships temporarily detained by Italian authorities after rescuing a total of 85 people, prevented to pursue their vital mission

Two German vessels have been temporarily detained by Italian authorities after conducting 3 rescue operations between May 28 and June 1st. The Mare*Go and Sea-Eye 4 are said to have violated the new Italian decree law passed in Italy on February 24, providing for the regulation of the activities of vessels dedicated to Search and Rescue in the Mediterranean. Rescue vessels are for instance required to request the assignment of a port and sail to it immediately after each rescue. In both cases, the vessels were punished with 20 days of administrative detention each.

On its first mission, Mare*Go rescued 36 people from distress at sea on June 1st. The ship disembarked the survivors in Lampedusa, although the authorities had assigned her the Sicilian port of Trapani. The ships crew warned that it would not be able to cover the distance to reach the assigned port of Trapani, and that their ship was not equipped to treat the rescued people on the move for that period of time (minimum thirty-two hours of navigation). Mare*Go was detained upon arrival in Lampedusa.

Sea-Eye organization declared they will appeal the decision. On June 4th, the NGO also appealed to the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and the German Foreign Office with an urgent request for help. This law could completely shut down civilian sea rescue if the Italian authorities continue to apply it in this way. After all, we will not ignore distress calls to prevent detentions. To put us in front of this choice is inhumane and irresponsible, said Gorden Isler, chairman of Sea-Eye.

Tragic milestone of one thousand deaths recorded in the central Mediterranean while interceptions and forced returns continue amidst escalation of violence in Libya

The International Organisation for Migrations (IOM)s Missing Migrants project documented 1,030 deaths recorded in the Central Mediterranean this year only. These figures are an undercount of the true death toll.They mark a worrying increase in deaths compared to the same period last year.

Between May 14 and June 3 2023, at least 900 people were forcibly returned to Libya according the IOM, totalising 6,684 people intercepted by Libyan coast guards in 2023 so far.

Several interceptions taking place in the central Mediterranean were also witnessed and reported by SAR NGOs.

On May 24, SOS Humanity witnessed an illegal pushback performed by a merchant vessel. According to the NGO, the Italian MRCC alerted Humanity 1 and nearby vessels about a boat in distress with 27 people on board. Humanity 1 reported that the people in distress were brought onboard the merchant vessel P. Long Beach, recording a radio conversation where the merchant vessels captain was confirming bringing the survivors to Libya.

On June 8, Sea Bird aircraft and MSFs Geo Barents witnessed Libyan coast guards intercepting a boat in distress with approximately 50 people in international waters, then setting fire to it.

The surge of departures is partly explained by the chaotic situation in Libya. According to Agenzia Nova, tensions were reported in the coastal city of Zawiya at the end of May, with airstrikes conducted by Tripolis prime minister, sending a signal to opponents.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called on the parties involved to respect national and international law and protect the civilian population.

According to Ansa, US and British embassies also reacted to the escalation of tensions, calling for dtente among the parties involved in the violence in Zawiya.

The beginning of June did not deescalate in violence for people living and transiting in Libya, with migrants detained in raids in the border town of Musaid and other areas in eastern Libya, according to AP news.

Three months after the shipwreck, investigation on Cutro drama

June 2nd, an investigation published by Le Monde, El Pais, Sky News, Domani and Sddeutsche Zeitung, in partnership with Lighthouse Reports, revealed the failings of the Italian authorities and Frontex implications during the Cutro shipwreck. The investigation claims to find contradictions in the official account and evidence that both Italy and Frontex misstated what they knew about storm weather and the boats condition.

On February 26, at least 94 people died, including babies and women, in a shipwreck in Cutro, on the southern Italian coast of Calabria. The boat had departed from Turkey four days earlier, with over 200 people onboard and sank while attempting to land after it crashed into rocks in rough weather conditions. According to different media reports and to Frontex, the latter spotted the dinghy via aerial surveillance a day before the tragedy and relayed the information to the Italian authorities. The Italian authorities launched a law enforcement operation rather than a search and rescue operation in sending two patrol boats of the Italian financial guards that eventually had to return to port because of weather conditions. More than 40 Italian and European civil society associations submitted a collective complaint to the Public Prosecutors Office at the Crotone Court asking for an investigation into the Cutro shipwreck to shed light on the responsibilities of Frontex and of the Italian authorities in the deaths of these people.

Six people are reportedly under investigation, including three Guardia di finanza officials, accused of failing to prevent the tragedy. There will be a trial for the sinking of Cutro, says Francesco Verri, one of the lawyers representing the victims families. The State has clear responsibilities, and the Crotone public prosecutors office will establish them and bring the guilty parties before the judge, he believes.

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[Eyes on the Central Med #61] Chaotic situation in Libya and surge ... - ReliefWeb

The Chairman of the Libyan Post Telecommunications and Information Company (LPTIC), Libyas telecommunications holding company that controls all state telecoms sector, Mohamed Ben Ayad, signed an agreement to connect Italy with Libya through a submarine cable. The agreement is part of LPTICs 2025 vision to make Libya a major digital gateway in the world.

Commenting to Libya Herald on the agreement, the Director of LPTICs Media Office, Osama Al-Shaibani, said, The signing comes as part of the visit of the government delegation headed by the head of the Government of National Unity, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, to the Italian capital, Rome, and within the framework of the conclusion of a number of development and partnership agreements between the two countries.

Al-Shaibani said that LPTIC is working on developing the communications infrastructure locally and internationally, in cooperation with major international companies, which contribute to increasing the quality and speed of services provided by its subsidiaries.

The Tripoli-Mazara cable He said that Libya and Italy are connected to the Tripoli-Mazara cable, which is 570 km long and is owned by the Libyan International Telecom Company, a subsidiary of the LPTIC with the Italian Telecom Company Sparkle (TIS). This cable connects Libya to the European continent via Sicily / Italy with a capacity of 340 Gb / s.

The Silphium cable It is worth noting that Libya is also connected to the European continent through the international submarine cable Silphium, which is the first international submarine cable 100 percent owned by Libya and connects the eastern region to the world. It was launched in June 2012 with a length of 425 km and an initial capacity of 70 gigabits per second up to 1.2 Tbps. These capacities are currently being upgraded to 370 Gbps.

The Silphium cable connects the city of Derna to the city of Chania on the island of Crete in Greece. The international submarine cable Silphium was unique when it was established as the longest submarine cable in the world with the technology of not using signal re-strengthening equipment.

The Libyan International Telecoms Company completes Silphium submarine cable project linking Libya with Greece (libyaherald.com)

Libyan PM Aldabaiba leads high level ministerial delegation to Rome: multi-sector MoUs signed (libyaherald.com)

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Agreement signed to link Italy with Libya through a submarine cable - Libya Herald

Expertise France published last Thursday the top 20 reforms guide to improving the business environment in Libya.

The guide contains the most critical and urgent 20 economic reforms based on a large survey in which more than 600 Libyan companies participated, Expertise France reported.

Here are the top 20 business reforms needed in Libya:

Expertise France implements training for Digital Lab team (libyaherald.com)

Expertise France to implement new 700,000 Raqameyon digitalisation project (libyaherald.com)

A workshop on free zones organized by Expertise France was held in Tunis 21 to 22 February (libyaherald.com)

Expertise France holds workshop for Libyan Tax Authority on digitising its services (libyaherald.com)

CBL meets Expertise France discusses Fintech, credit bureau and microfinance (libyaherald.com)

Sahary Bank and Expertise France discuss establishing SME financing units (libyaherald.com)

Expertise France to support Libyas promotion of industrial sector (libyaherald.com)

Expertise France hails its five diversification projects in Libya (libyaherald.com)

Expertise France and UNICEF to help Libyan youth in entrepreneurship (libyaherald.com)

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Expertise France publishes top 20 reforms guide to improving the ... - Libya Herald

BEIRUT (AP) Seeking to find lives better than they had in their war-scarred town in northeast Syria, four men and a 14-year-old boy from the Sheikhi family set out for Europe.

Ignoring an older relatives warnings, the group boarded a fishing boat from Libya to Italy, where they hoped to start crossing Europe on land and get to Germany.

Instead of docking in Italy, the trawler capsized and sank Wednesday in thousands of feet of seawater, 75 kilometers (45 miles) off Greece. The trawler may have carried as many as 750 passengers. Hundreds remained missing early Friday, on the third and final day of search operations. It would be one of the worst Mediterranean shipwrecks in recent history if officials confirm relatives worst fears, as expected.

Five members of one family were aboard the trawler, including Ali Sheikhi, 29. The father of three boys, he left behind his wife, and boys ages 6, 5 and 2 hoping to one day reunite in Europe and offer the children the good education no longer found at home.

He wanted to save his children, said Abdo Sheikhi, 38, Alis brother.

Abdo Sheikhi reached Germany seven years ago. His five relatives left Kobani, a border town near Turkey, in early March.

Once a symbol of victory against Islamic State militants in 2015, Kobani has been hit by the countrys bitter divisions, and over a decade of war, like much of Syria. With no development, no investment and no sign of peace, many in northeastern Syria are following the footsteps of earlier migrants to Europe but taking much higher risks because Turkey has been tightening its borders and making the land crossing harder.

Many of the Syrians missing were also from Daraa, a region in Syrias southernmost tip, near the border with Jordan.

Abdo Sheikhis five relatives went through government-controlled Syria into Lebanon. They then flew to Cairo and from there to Tripoli and on land to Tobruk, Libya. Aside from the expenses paid to reach Libya, the five were supposed to pay $6,000 each to the smugglers, money that was to be paid once they reached Italy.

They were supposed to arrive in three or four days, Mohamed Abdi Marwan, an uncle, said speaking by phone from Kobani, a Kurdish-majority town. It was a shock. We had hoped they will get there safely.

Nine survivors were arrested Thursday on suspicion of being members of the ring that arranged the voyage, the Greek coast guard said. State-run ERT TV said the suspects were all Egyptian nationals.

In Syria, there are no means for a life, Abdo Sheikhi said. Once they decided, I told them the Libya road is very dangerous and very long. They said: others made it. We too will take that road.

Shahin, another relative of Sheikhis, who is also a resident of Germany, said he last heard from his relative when he complained about the conditions in waiting in Libya for months. The smugglers wouldnt let them leave the rooms where they were, ostensibly to avoid detection, often confiscated their phones, and would not bring them the food they requested.

They were seven to a room ... They didnt see the sun, said Shahin, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to not jeopardize his ability to stay in Germany. They were sad and gripped by despair. But they would not take a decision to go back to Syria.

The men from the Sheikhi family texted relatives late last Thursday to say they would leave in a few hours, on a boat that was supposed to carry 300 people, said the elder Sheikhi.

The family waited for a confirmation photo from Italy. None came.

The (smugglers) sent the boys to their deaths, Abdo Sheikhi said.

Hours after rescue operations began, a member of the Sheikhi family thought he spotted Ali in a photo of survivors posted on social media. The man was laying on the floor in a line of others wrapped in blankets in the makeshift camp set up for the passengers. His hand was raised, covering most of his face, except for a distinctive beard. Then came another picture of a man uncovered and sitting up, holding a piece of paper.

There was no sign of other relatives and no way to reach the man on the floor to confirm it is Ali.

The elder Sheikhi, working as an electrician in Germany, said he has called the hospital in Greece to try to get information, with no luck. He was unable to get news from the makeshift camp and is still weighing whether to travel to Greece to look for relatives.

Abdo Sheikhi said the trip to Greece will cost him at least 600 euros and he cant speak English.

I will wait till tomorrow. If there are no news, I will have to go, he said. The problem will be if I go there and it is of no use.

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Relatives fear worst with four men and a boy missing after ... - The Associated Press

Murtaza Karanfil, the chairperson of the Foreign Economic Relations Board's (DEK) Trkiye-Libya Business Council has called for more investments in Libya stating that a large number of government industrial facilities from previous eras are not functioning.

"Currently, there are over 180 governmental industrial facilities from the era of previous governments that are idle in Libya," Karanfil told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Thursday.

He went on to state that some of these facilities are in good condition, which attracted the attention of Turkish businesspeople.

"The state owns seven facilities in the industrial zone in Tajoura. In 1977, a facility was established to assemble and install trucks and pickup trucks here in Libya. The facility was built with the best equipment at that time," he said.

Karanfil noted that he, along with a delegation of Independent Industrialists and Businessmens Association (MSAD) from the central Turkish province of Konya, met a week ago with Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Ramadan Abu Jinnah, saying: "We held special meetings with cities in the country's south and the Southern Development Agency."

Karanfil said that Abu Jinnah invited the mayors of the Fezzan region to a meeting, adding that the Turkish delegation received a warm welcome and serious projects were discussed.

"We evaluated the trade route from the south to sub-Saharan Africa and other issues," he said.

He said that over 20 mayors attended the meeting and that the mayor of the city of Marj, east of Benghazi, said that "Libya's development will be with Trkiye."

Karanfil confirmed that they have been working in Libya for 35 years and that they have created over 1,500 job opportunities in Trkiye, stressing that "Libya is a fertile place for investment."

"We will open a second hospital in Tripoli after Misrata. We are able to establish the Libyan health infrastructure, and we are sure that there will be important changes in terms of health, tourism and trade, and the momentum will increase if Libya and Trkiye start granting entry visas mutually," he said.

Chief Commercial Adviser at the Turkish Embassy in Tripoli, Yusuf Yldz also told AA that they plan to organize an exhibition for exporting Turkish products in Benghazi, eastern Libya, from May 29 to June 1.

Yldz added that about 35 companies from Trkiye will participate in the exhibition in Benghazi.

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'Libya needs more investment by Turkish firms' | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah