Alarmphone | 22.03.2018
Alarm Phone 6 Week Report, 5 February – 18 March 2018
Stories and Struggles of Migrant Women at Sea +++ 458 Deaths at Sea in 2018 +++ Developments in the Central Mediterranean, Western Mediterranean, and Aegean Sea +++ Summaries of 25 Alarm Phone distress cases
INTRODUCTION
In April 2017, Sylvie and Joelle wanted to cross the sea to escape their predicament and start a new life in Europe.[1] They did not know one another until they boarded the small rubber boat in Turkey, together with twenty-two others, including two children. Sylvie was anxious and entered last, handing over her red bag to Joelle who promised to return it after their safe arrival. They departed, but at some point, somewhere in the Aegean Sea, they ran out of fuel and could not continue. Sylvie tried to call for help, but her phone was caught by a large wave. Lost at sea, Joelle, who was in the 8th month pregnant, started to cry and pray for help, but nobody came. The boat capsized, and everybody fell into the water, drifting away from each other. Sylvie and Joelle were separated but Joelle did not give up: “I had a strong feeling of power in me. I don’t even know where this came from, where we fell in the sea there was nothing, no boats, no fishermen, no police, no one.” She was able to stay together with two others, Guilaine and Teddy. They floated in the water throughout the night, trying to stay conscious and together. But at some point, a wave parted them, and Joelle was all alone. Hours later, she suddenly saw a boat approaching. She was taken aboard of the rescue vessel of the NGO Proactiva and brought to land.
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