March 12 () –
The NGO Alarm Phone has assured that dozens of migrants have drowned in the last few hours after their boat adrift in the central Mediterranean.
“We are shocked. According to various sources, dozens of people from this ship have drowned,” the organization reported on its Twitter account.
“As of 2:28 a.m. on March 11, the authorities were informed of the urgency and danger of the situation. The Italian authorities deliberately delayed the rescue, leaving them to die,” Alarm Phone reported.
The NGO had previously reported that it was in contact with a boat with 47 people on board that was adrift after leaving the Libyan coast. He had also warned that the weather conditions were very dangerous and that “an immediate rescue is necessary.”
Another NGO, Sea Watch, had raised the alarm about the situation of these people and the risk posed by the intense waves. He had also reported that a merchant ship near the boat was ordered by Italy to wait for the Libyan Coast Guard because they were not equipped for rescues, “but the Libyan Coast Guard did not show up.”
The Libyan authorities themselves confirmed to Sea Watch that they would not send any vessels. “When we called the Italian rescue coordination center to ask who would take over the coordination and take responsibility for these people, they hung up on us,” Sea Watch said.
“Italy and the EU countries must take responsibility for the rescue at sea and protect the lives of people on the move. Now, immediately, in this case, in all cases,” Sea Watch tweeted.
