Calls for assistance for a boat with 100 migrants unanswered for seven hours (so far) (Updated)
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Update
The Libyan Coast Guard intervened and provided assistance and took migrants to Libya. The Pilotes Volontaires tweeted about this development claiming that Libya remains an unsafe harbour.
Earlier
Calls for assistance for a rubber boat in distress carrying around 100 migrants went unanswered for hours on Sunday, according to search and rescue groups.
Pilotes Volontaires, which provides aerial observation support to NGOs carrying out rescue operations at sea, spotted the vessel around noon CEST on Sunday.
Seven hours have passed since boat was spotted and no action has been taken.
Pilotes Volonataires said “We sent a Maday Relay and contact the nearest cargo vessels in this area. The airplan Colibri had to fly back to our base because we have no fuel left. At this time we don’t know if the people will be rescued.”
Today our #Colibri spotted a rubber boat in distress with app. 100 people. We informed #MRCC Rome, but they referring to Libyan authorities which are not responding. Till now we do not have any information on when these people will be rescued. pic.twitter.com/0N2KgBOuDe
It said it had informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Rome, but was told the case was being referred to Libyan authorities who weren’t responding.
“Till now we do not have any information on when these people will be rescued,” it wrote on Twitter shortly after 4pm CEST.
Euronews reports the German NGO Sea Watch, which is working with Pilotes Volontaires, urged the Italian Coast Guard to rescue the boat, which was last reported north of the Libyan city of Zuwarah.
“The boat was spotted and until now no one has taken responsibility. This is a clear case of non-assistance,” Sea Watch spokesperson Ruben Neugebauer told Euronews.
“The Italians were the closest MRCC [Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre] we could reach… We’ve tried everything to reach the responsible authorities. They know about it and they know they have to act”, he said.
Neugebauer said the lack of action by the Italian Coast Guard was “irresponsible”.
“There’s a boat in distress, there are people in distress and there cannot be time passing by. Even if a rescue is organised now it will take some time to get there… It’s irresponsible of the MRCC, which is obviously under pressure from the Interior Ministry.”
