NGO says Libyan authorities ignoring migrant boat in distress
The NGO Alarm Phone said Italian and Maltese authorities both referred it to Libya which has so far not responded as time runs out for 100 migrants

A migrant boat carrying some 100 people and which reported that it was in distress on Sunday morning, is being ignored by authorities, an NGO said.
The claim comes the day after NGO’s forming part of the #united4med alliance said that some 120 migrants who left Libya yesterday had drowned.
The NGO Alarm Phone, which offers independent support to people crossing the Mediterranean to the EU, said that at 11 on Sunday morning it had received the position of a boat in distress carrying 100 people 60 nautical miles off Misrata in Libya.
“The situation was calm and they asked us to stan by as they are currently underway using an engine,” Alarm Phone wrote in a Tweet.
“Between 11:40 and 12:20 people were increasingly panicking. They wanted to inform authorities, but not the Libyans. We gave legal counselling, explaining to them that Libya and Italy would claim Libya’s responsibility for the area they are located,” read the second in a series of Tweets uploaded by the NGO on Sunday afternoon.
Between 11:40 and 12:20 people were increasingly panicking. They wanted us to inform authorities, but not the Libyans. We gave legal counselling, explaining to them that Libya and Italy would claim Libya's responsibility for the area they are located.
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019
At 12:20 we received a new position. They are 12NM more East now and have navigation problems. One child is unconscious or deceased. The boat is taking in water. They want us to call for help, regardless of what this would mean concerning a possible return to Libya.
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019
The NGO said it had then received a new position for the boat as well as information that one child on board was “unconscious or deceased”.
“The boat is taking in water. They want us to call for help, regardless of what this would mean concerning a possible return to Libya.”
Email to MRCC #Rome, RCC #Malta and JRCC #Libya at 13:10, informing and asking who is in charge of coordination. We request urgent assistance for those in distress. Emails to #Tripoli bounce immediately. #Malta confirms on the phone that they will come back to us.
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019
14:20 We called several times the 6 different numbers of JRCC @Tripoli. They are not reachable. Do they even exist? We informed #Malta & #Italy about this and received a 7th number by Rome, it is not working either. Currently no authority confirmed to us SAR coordination.
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019
By 2pm, said the NGO, both Malta and Italy had referred it back to Libya.
“We called several times the 6 different numbers of JRCC Tripoli. They are not reachable. Do they even exist? We informed Malta and Italy about this and received a 7th number by Rome, it is not working either. Currently no authority confirmed to us SAR coordination.”
15:00 #Rome forwarded our info to “relevant authorities in Libya”. We still have no confirmation if Tripoli takes any steps. The #EU is responsible, creating deadly routes, installing Libyan authorities to abduct people at sea, and leave a huge rescue gap in the deadliest zone.
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019
15:00 #Rome forwarded our info to “relevant authorities in Libya”. We still have no confirmation if Tripoli takes any steps. The #EU is responsible, creating deadly routes, installing Libyan authorities to abduct people at sea, and leave a huge rescue gap in the deadliest zone.
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019
The NGO said that despite Europe paying millions of Euro to the Libyan militias to abduct fleeing people, they can't even operate a phone line. "We attempt to inform them only because all European authorities refuse responsibility for the people in distress. We want them safe, and not back in inhumane cages."
At 5:20pm, the NGO said that the people on the boat said they were being circled by a military aircraft which the NGO assumed was the Spanish MPA SEAGULL operated by the EUNAVFORMED SOPHIA - an EU military operation aimed at disrupting human trafficking.
"We wonder who gives commands to the SEAGULL? Will a European authority facilitate an illegal pushback by the LYCG?" the NGO asked
The last known position at 16:15 is 33°34’N 015°10’E. We would like to update the so-called Libyan coastguards but we reach them on none of the 8 numbers we have gathered. Hence we inform #Italy and #Malta and also about the fact that #Libya is unreachable.
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019
The boat-people told us a military aircraft circles their position. According to the description we assume it’s the Spanish MPA SEAGULL operated by @EUNAVFORMED_OHQ. We wonder who gives commands to the SEAGULL? Will a European authority facilitate an illegal pushback by the LYCG?
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) January 20, 2019