CANADA: Investigate Fatal Boat Episode Dying to leave Libya
March 28, 2012
The Honourable Peter MacKay
Minister for National Defence
509s Center Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear Honourable Mr. MacKay,
I am writing to inquire about internal investigations into the fatal boat episode of March-April 2011, in which a disabled boat filled with migrants fleeing Libya drifted for two weeks in the Mediterranean before landing back in Libya on April 10, 2011. Sixty-three out of the 72 people on board died.
According to information gathered by the Centre for Research Architecture (Forensic Architecture Project), the boat carrying 72 migrants left Tripoli in the night of the 26th to the 27th of March 2011. Towards the end of the day on March 27, 2011, the boat already faced difficulties and placed a satellite call to an Eritrean priest, Don Moses Zerai, based in Rome. Zerai says he called the Italian Coast Guard that day and the following. According to the Italian Coast Guard, it used GPS technology to locate the position of the satellite phone used to call Don Zerai, placing the boat, a 10-meter rubber Zodiac craft, at 16.52 GMT on March 27, 2011, at LAT 33˚58’.2” N, LONG 012˚55’.8” E in the Libyan searchand rescue area. The Italian Coast Guard sent out a distress signal immediately after indicating the location of the boat and asking all ships in the Sicily Channel to report any sighting; this alert was sent out every four hours for ten days.[i]
The next day, March 28, 2011, the World Wide Navigational Warning Service (WWNWS) issued a Hydrolant Navigational Warning. This alert called on all ships to “keep a sharp lookout, assist if possible.”
As of the morning of the March 28, 2011, the boat was left without fuel and drifted until it was pushed back to Libyan shores where it landed on April 10, 2011. Survivors have stated that a military helicopter hovered above the disabled boat on March 27, 2011, following their distress call, and threw down water and biscuits. They also say they sighted one warship probably between the 3rd and 4th of April 2011, and attempted to attract the vessels’ attention.
I understand from a United States Department of Defense briefing with Vice Admiral Gortney on March 24, 2011, that 38 military ships were patrolling NATO’s Maritime Surveillance Area (MSA) or in its vicinity on that day.[ii] The Canadian ship Charlottetown (FF) was among the ships in the MSA.
I would be grateful for detailed information about this and any other Canadian ships patrolling the area where the disabled boat drifted for the period of March 26-April 10, 2011, including the names of the vessels and their individual patrol zones. In particular we would appreciate the following information:
•Whether theCharlottetown or any other Canadian Navy ships were in the MSA in the period of March 26-April 10, 2011.
•The patrol sector for the Charlottetown and any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA in the period of March 26-April 10, 2011.
•When the Charlottetown and any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA received the alert issued by the Italian Coast Guard on March 27, 2011.
•When the Charlottetown and any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA received the WWNWS alert issued on March 28, 2011.
•The name and location of any Canadian Navy assets within 100 nm radius of the position of the Zodiac boat as specified in the Italian Coast Guard alert on March 27, 2011, and the WWNWS alert on March 28, 2011.
•What action, if any, taken by the Charlottetown or any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA upon receiving the alert.
•Whether the Charlottetown or any other Canadian Navy ships sighted the drifting boat at any point.
•Whether any Canadian helicopter came into contact with the Zodiac boat in question, whether any further action was taken.
I know that NATO warships in the Mediterranean provided assistance to boat migrants in some instances. Nonetheless, the shocking loss of life in the Mediterranean in 2011 – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that at least 1500 people died attempting the crossing last year – demands concerted efforts to investigate as well as to prevent such tragedies in the future.
I look forward to a response from your office to my questions, and to engaging in a constructive dialogue with you about these serious issues.
Sincerely,
William Nicholas Gomes
William’s Desk
www.williamgomes.org
March 28, 2012
The Honourable Peter MacKay
Minister for National Defence
509s Center Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear Honourable Mr. MacKay,
I am writing to inquire about internal investigations into the fatal boat episode of March-April 2011, in which a disabled boat filled with migrants fleeing Libya drifted for two weeks in the Mediterranean before landing back in Libya on April 10, 2011. Sixty-three out of the 72 people on board died.
According to information gathered by the Centre for Research Architecture (Forensic Architecture Project), the boat carrying 72 migrants left Tripoli in the night of the 26th to the 27th of March 2011. Towards the end of the day on March 27, 2011, the boat already faced difficulties and placed a satellite call to an Eritrean priest, Don Moses Zerai, based in Rome. Zerai says he called the Italian Coast Guard that day and the following. According to the Italian Coast Guard, it used GPS technology to locate the position of the satellite phone used to call Don Zerai, placing the boat, a 10-meter rubber Zodiac craft, at 16.52 GMT on March 27, 2011, at LAT 33˚58’.2” N, LONG 012˚55’.8” E in the Libyan searchand rescue area. The Italian Coast Guard sent out a distress signal immediately after indicating the location of the boat and asking all ships in the Sicily Channel to report any sighting; this alert was sent out every four hours for ten days.[i]
The next day, March 28, 2011, the World Wide Navigational Warning Service (WWNWS) issued a Hydrolant Navigational Warning. This alert called on all ships to “keep a sharp lookout, assist if possible.”
As of the morning of the March 28, 2011, the boat was left without fuel and drifted until it was pushed back to Libyan shores where it landed on April 10, 2011. Survivors have stated that a military helicopter hovered above the disabled boat on March 27, 2011, following their distress call, and threw down water and biscuits. They also say they sighted one warship probably between the 3rd and 4th of April 2011, and attempted to attract the vessels’ attention.
I understand from a United States Department of Defense briefing with Vice Admiral Gortney on March 24, 2011, that 38 military ships were patrolling NATO’s Maritime Surveillance Area (MSA) or in its vicinity on that day.[ii] The Canadian ship Charlottetown (FF) was among the ships in the MSA.
I would be grateful for detailed information about this and any other Canadian ships patrolling the area where the disabled boat drifted for the period of March 26-April 10, 2011, including the names of the vessels and their individual patrol zones. In particular we would appreciate the following information:
•Whether theCharlottetown or any other Canadian Navy ships were in the MSA in the period of March 26-April 10, 2011.
•The patrol sector for the Charlottetown and any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA in the period of March 26-April 10, 2011.
•When the Charlottetown and any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA received the alert issued by the Italian Coast Guard on March 27, 2011.
•When the Charlottetown and any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA received the WWNWS alert issued on March 28, 2011.
•The name and location of any Canadian Navy assets within 100 nm radius of the position of the Zodiac boat as specified in the Italian Coast Guard alert on March 27, 2011, and the WWNWS alert on March 28, 2011.
•What action, if any, taken by the Charlottetown or any other Canadian Navy ships in the MSA upon receiving the alert.
•Whether the Charlottetown or any other Canadian Navy ships sighted the drifting boat at any point.
•Whether any Canadian helicopter came into contact with the Zodiac boat in question, whether any further action was taken.
I know that NATO warships in the Mediterranean provided assistance to boat migrants in some instances. Nonetheless, the shocking loss of life in the Mediterranean in 2011 – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that at least 1500 people died attempting the crossing last year – demands concerted efforts to investigate as well as to prevent such tragedies in the future.
I look forward to a response from your office to my questions, and to engaging in a constructive dialogue with you about these serious issues.
Sincerely,
William Nicholas Gomes
William’s Desk
www.williamgomes.org
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