LIFE SUPPORT DENIED THE POSSIBILITY OF INTERVENING TO HELP 40 SHIPWRECKED PEOPLE ON TUNISIAN GAS PLATFORM MISKAR.
On Saturday, 9 March, at 17:33 CET, EMERGENCY’s search and rescue ship Life Support received a mayday relay from SPARROW 4, a Frontex aircraft. The aircraft informed the NGO ship that it had spotted around 40 people on board the Tunisian gas platform MISKAR, located in the Gulf of Gabes, in the international waters of the Maltese Search and Rescue (SAR) zone.
Life Support, just a few nautical miles away, sailed to the scene and noted the presence of people on the underside of the platform, close to the water, as well as a dinghy that was broken and adrift. After communicating with SPARROW 4, Life Support radioed the MISKAR platform, explaining the situation and obtaining permission to approach.
Life Support also attempted to reach both the Maltese and Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) without receiving a response.
After launching its two rescue boats, which approached within a few hundred metres of the platform, Life Support received another call from the MISKAR platform which denied permission to approach, contrary to previous communications.
MISKAR added that a Tunisian naval asset was approaching the platform to conduct the rescue.
Immediately, the two rescue boats returned to Life Support, whose commander informed the platform that the NGO ship would remain available to provide medical assistance if needed. MISKAR declined the offer, but asked Life Support to transfer the 40 or so people from the platform to the incoming Tunisian navy rig. Life Support indicated that it would not carry out this manoeuvre, because Tunisia is not a safe country to bring shipwrecked people to.
A ship approached the platform shortly after sunset.
Life Support continued search and rescue operations throughout the night, remaining in the vicinity of the platform through deteriorating weather and trying to make contact with MISKAR without ever receiving a response.
At the moment, we do not know if the shipwrecked people were brought aboard the Tunisian vessel during the night, or if they are still on the MISKAR platform. We have asked the relevant authorities about the outcome of the rescue operations and where the shipwrecked people have been taken; so far, we have not received a reply.