Alarm Phone Statement

A boat with 46 people on board capsized on the way to the Canary Islands yesterday evening. The Alarm Phone was alerted by a contact person in Morocco who informed us about a boat, which had left on Tuesday morning at 3am from Layoun, trying to reach the Canary Islands. Only 22 young men could be rescued to Spain. One dead body was found and 23 persons are still missing. According to the collective Caminando Fronteras, Salvamento Maritimo was alerted for the first time on Tuesday at 10am and had located the vessel before 2pm. Nevertheless, the rescue-operation started 8 hours later, when the boat had already capsized. How is that possible?

The shift team of the Alarm Phone requested updates repeatedly concerning the rescue-operation and the ongoing search but Salvamento Maritimo declined to give out information. There are many reasons to believe that all people could have been saved if the rescue agencies had reacted adequately and in accordance with maritime and international laws. We are sad and angry and we demand of the EU, their institutions and member states to finally open borders to prevent these ongoing tragedies at sea! There is an easy solution to stop the loss of lives in maritime borders: Create safe paths toward Europe!

Ferries, not Frontex!!!

18th of November 2015, Alarm Phone