At least person dead and three missing in the Mediterranean. Civilian monitoring vessel NADIR rescued 48 people from distress at sea and 12 more from the water hours later.

Yesterday afternoon, the crew of the civilian sailing ship NADIR, operated by the German NGO RESQSHIP e.V., rescued 48 people from acute distress at sea. 36 people were evacuated from an unstable iron boat, twelve more were later found in the water. For one person, help came too late, and three others are still missing. The survivors had previously spent six days on sea, of which several days on the unmaneuverable iron boat in the Mediterranean Sea – exposed to the rough weather conditions.

After being detained for 20 days, the NADIR was back in the operational area on Wednesday, July 30. At noon of the following day, July 31, the SEABIRD2 reconnaissance aircraft of the organization SEA-WATCH found the unseaworthy boat in the Libyan search and rescue zone (SAR). About an hour later, the NADIR arrived to assist the people in distress.

During initial contact, the survivors reported that they had left Sfax (Tunisia) six days earlier. Two days after the departure, they had run out of fuel. They survived for days without any help – without food, without sufficient water, without rescue equipment, exposed to the severe weather of the past week, with waves reaching heights of over three meters in some cases. In view of the acute danger to life and the worsening sea conditions, the crew decided to take everyone on board the NADIR immediately.

Nine women – including two pregnant women – two babies and two children were on board the iron boat. The babies were severely dehydrated, hypothermic, and had received hardly any food for six days. The medical team immediately requested the evacuation of the most vulnerable individuals from the relevant Italian authorities.

»Many of those rescued were extremely weakened physically. Numerous individuals suffered chemical burns from contact with fuel and salt water. In addition, we observed serious warning signs of complications from both pregnant women, indicating a possible loss of the fetus.«
– Francesca Renon, doctor aboard the NADIR

On the morning of Thursday, July 31, according to survivors, 16 people jumped into the water to push the boat, which was drifting south, back north. However, the high waves quickly separated them from the boat. After the NADIR reached the iron boat in the early afternoon and completed the evacuation, the survivors told the crew members about the missing people. The crew immediately initiated search operations and was able to locate several people in the water about an hour later. Twelve of the sixteen people were rescued, suffering from hypothermia, exhaustion, and disorientation. Despite the support of civilian aircraft and ships from several NGOs, three people remain missing. According to eyewitness reports, one person had already drowned before.

»Finding the twelve missing people alive was a special moment for us. The relief and joy among the survivors when they were reunited on board the NADIR was deeply moving.«
– Elizabeth Leach, paramedic on board the NADIR

At around 1 a.m. on Friday, August 1, the Italian coast guard evacuated ten people in critical medical condition. In the morning, at around 10 a.m., the NADIR reached the port of Lampedusa, where all remaining people were able to disembark safely.

»Our grief is accompanied by disbelief and anger. It is unacceptable that people are exposed to the hardships of such a crossing and are putting their lives at risk. The fact that no state rescue operation has been initiated and that European institutions remain inactive is a failure on the part of the European Union. The three missing persons and the deceased are victims of Europe’s racist border policy. We demand the creation of safe escape routes, an end to the systematic obstruction of the civil fleet, and a European policy shift that prioritizes ending mass casualties in the Mediterranean.«
– Linda Rochlitzer, member of the board

Independent reporter Adrian Kriesch was also on board, covering the event for the media. For enquiries regarding video material, please email adrian@ks-productions.net or call +49 176 96023604.

Press contact: Merle Dammhayn
Phone: +39 331 4218860
E-mail: presse@resqship.org