Italian Coast Guard Headquarters - Guardia Costiera...SEARCH AND RESCUE ACTIVITY IN CENTRAL...

Italian Coast Guard Headquarters

ITALIAN MARITIME RESCUE COORDINATION CENTRE

Search And Rescue Activity and Migratory flows in Central Mediterranean sea

Year 2016

FOREWORD

Rescuing people in a difficult situation at sea has always been, since its

institution, one of the main tasks of the Italian Coast Guard. An operational

activity which, through more efficient air and naval assets and diver

components, as well as through the development of communications and

monitoring devices, has elevated Search and Rescue as the main mission of

the Corps. The significant part of such ”mission” is the activity performed to

save thousands of migrants that everyday sail into the Mediterranean Sea

towards a better hope. The continuous and tireless effort of Coast Guard

personnel, authentic “hope sowers” (as Pope Francis called them), is enclosed

in this report which proposes a detailed summary on the migratory flows

which, during last year, have crossed the Central Mediterranean. An in-depth

analysis of the constant changes of the scenario also represents the basis of

the job which men and women of the Italian Coast Guard, authentic

professional maritime experts, carry out day by day, taking the risk for their

own safety, in every sea-wheater conditions, in order to fulfil, in the best way

and within the shortest possible time, the rescue of human beings at sea.

Everything is enclosed in the following pages to report, from a different point

of view, the migration phenomenon that is upon our daily work, our

consciousness and our lives.

INDEX

Acronyms

1) Migrants Arrived in Italy by sea since 1991

2) S.A.R. events coordinated by MRCC Rome

3) Migrants rescued at sea per naval assets

4) Migrants rescued by naval assets in the Central Mediterranean Sea from 2013 to 2016

5) Operating activity: analysis of MRCC Rome mass rescue days

6) Non Governamental Organizations

7) Main Migration Flows to Italy Through the Mediterranean Sea

8) Migration Flow Analysis:

a) Nationality;b) Gender.

9) Unsafe Conditions in Migration flows:

a) Unavailability of satellite phones on vessels;b) Use of unseaworthy vessels and night time departures;c) Increased Use of rubber inflatable boats;d) S.A.R. near the outer limits of Libyan Territorial waters.

10) Persons rescued at sea by the Italian Maritime s.a.r region compared with the persons intercepted on land.

11) Arrivals of migrants by sea compared to deaths and missing

SEARCH AND RESCUE ACTIVITY IN CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN SEA AND MIGRATION FLOW 1

1. MIGRANTS ARRIVED IN ITALY BY SINCE 1991

Since 1991 there has been an upward migratory trend to Italy. The increase is due to

geopolitical issues, such as the Albanian crisis of the 90s, the Arab Spring in the period

2010-2012 that involved most of the African countries that border on the Mediterranean Sea,

and the Libyan crisis in 2011 which let to the collapse of the Gaddafi regime. These events

caused a massive flow of migrants (fledeing war zones in search of a better life) towards

Europe.

This graph refers to the total number of migrants rescued at sea, and includes entry in Italy

via land.

0167333500667833

1.0001.1671.3331.500

950 906

2014 2015 2016

1.424


2. S.A.R. EVENTS COORDINATED BY MRCC ROME

The analysis of data from the past three years highlights that the numbers of migrants rescued at sea during S.A.R. operations coordinated by MRCC Rome has increased from 155.000 to 180.000. The percentage of migrants rescued inside Libyan territorial waters is by

far the biggest effort made in this kind of operation, which also marked, in 2016, the highest recorded number of migrants rescued on the occasion of S.A.R. events coordinated by M.R.C.C. Rome.

S.A.R. EVENTS COORDINATED IN THE YEARS: 1,424+ 46,5% compared to 2014

+ 52% compared to 2015

The data of last year’s migratory flow are as follows:


3. MIGRANTS RESCUED AT SEA PER NAVAL ASSET1 st- january – 31 st december 2016

NAVAL ASSETSNAVAL ASSETS PEOPLE RESCUED

ITALIAN COAST GUARD (INCLUDED FRONTEX CO FINANCED ASSETS)

35.875

ITALIAN NAVY 36.084

GUARDIA DI FINANZA (INCLUDED FRONTEX CO FINANCED ASSETS)

1.693

CARABINIERI (INCLUDED FRONTEX CO FINANCED ASSETS) 174

FRONTEX (NOT INCLUDING ITALIAN ASSETS)

13.616

MERCHANT SHIPS 13.888

46.796

FOREIGN NAVIES ASSETS 7.404

EUNAVFORMED 22.885

TOTALTOTAL 178.415

(MOAS - SEAWATCH - SOS MEDITERRANEE - SEA EYE – MEDICI SENZA FRONTIERE – PROACTIVIA OPEN ARMS BARCELONA – LIFE BOAT – JUGEND RETTET – BOAT REFUGEE – SAVE THE CHILDREN)

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

NAVAL ASSETSNAVAL ASSETSNAVAL ASSETS

PEOPLE RESCUEDFROM 01 ST JANUARY UNTILL– 31 DECEMBER




NAVAL ASSETSNAVAL ASSETSNAVAL ASSETSYEAR

2013YEAR

2014YEAR

2015YEAR

2016

ITALIAN COAST GUARD (INCLUDED FRONTEX CO FINANCED ASSETS) ITALIAN COAST GUARD (INCLUDED FRONTEX CO FINANCED ASSETS) 20.452 38.047 41.341 35.875

ITALIAN NAVY 6.183 82.952 29.178 36.084

GUARDIA DI FINANZA (INCLUDED FRONTEX CO FINANCED ASSETS) GUARDIA DI FINANZA (INCLUDED FRONTEX CO FINANCED ASSETS)

3.905 1.601 6.289 1.693

33 26 1 174

STATE POLICE STATE POLICE 109 - - -

MERCHANT SHIPS MERCHANT SHIPS 6.213 40.611 16.158 13.888

- 1.450 20.063 46.796

363 978 15.428 13.616

MILITARY ASSETS EUNAVFORMED Started july 2015. MILITARY ASSETS EUNAVFORMED Started july 2015.

- -23.885

22.885

FOREIGN NAVIESY FOREIGN NAVIESY - 70523.885

7.404

TOTALTOTALTOTAL 37.258 166.370 152.343 178.415


4. MIGRANTS RESCUED BY NAVAL ASSETS IN THE CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN SEA IN THE PERIOD

2013- 2016

O P E R A T I O N M A R E NOSTRUM (from 18 october 2013 to 31 october 2014.

(MOAS - SEAWATCH - SOS MEDITERRANEE - SEA EYE – MEDICI SENZA FRONTIERE – PROACTIVA OPEN ARMS – LIFE BOAT – JUGEND RETTET – BOAT REFUGEE – SAVE THE CHILDREN)The first NGO has intervened the 3rd of may 2015

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Operation HERMES during 2013.Operation TRITON started from 1 november 2014 replacing Operation MARE NOSTRUM.

FRONTEX (NON INCLUDING ITALIAN)

CARABINIERI


DATE SIMULTANEOU S.A.R. EVENTS

RESCUED PEOPLE

23 JUNE2016 41 5.249

26 JUNE 2016 27 3.261

5 JULY2016 37 4.602

19 JULY 2016 26 3.757

29 JULY 2016 34 3.582

28 AUGUST 2016 12 1.295

13.762 PEOPLE RESCUED

IN 112 S.A.R. OPERATIONS

29 AUGUST2016 53 6.953 13.762 PEOPLE RESCUED

IN 112 S.A.R. OPERATIONS30 AUGUST2016 34 3.623



31 AUGUST2016 13 1.891



3 OCTOBER 2016 42 6.046 10.850 PEOPLE RESCUED

IN 77 S.A.R. OPERATIONS4 OCTOBER 2016 35 4.804



5. OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY: ANALYSIS OF MRCC ROME MASS RESCUE DAYS

I In 96 hours MRCC Rome coordinated 104 S.A.R efforts and rescued 13.765 persons.

S.A.R. operations and rescued 11.080 persons.


0

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000

30.000

total number of rescued migrantsmigrants rescued by ngos

6. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONSDuring 2016, there has been an increase of NGOs in the central Mediterranean Sea

coordinated by MRCC Rome with the goal to contribute to S.A.R operations in favor of

migrants.

TOTAL NUMBER OF RESCUED MIGRANTS COMPARED TO MIGRANT RESCUED BY N.G.O.

MIGRANTS RESCUED BY MERCHANT/SHIPS COMPARED TO MIGRANTS RESCUED BY N.G.O.S: YEARS 2014 - 2016

JANUARY MARCH MAY JULY SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER

MERCHANT VESSELS NGOS

Migrants rescued between 2014- 2016


7. MAIN MIGRATORY FLOWS TO ITALY THROUGH MEDITERRANEAN SEA

FLOW FROM: 201620162016201620162016201620162016201620162016

JEN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AGU SEP OCT NOV DIC

EGYPT 0 105 866 2.163 1.963 2.892 2.220 1.657 295 0 0 0

TURKEY 0 0 0 0 86 35 330 236 669 309 914 37

MIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDMIGRANTS RESCUED OR ASSISTEDFLOWS FROM: 2014 % 2015 % 2016 %

LIBYA 141.293 83,1 139.777 90,75 162.732 91,2EAST MEDITERRANEAN

EGYPT , GREECE , TURKEY 27.262 16,1 13.377 8,7 14.974 8,4

TUNISIA 1.215 0,7 543 0,35 548 0,3

ALGERIA 155 0,1 321 0,2 161 0,1

OTHERS COUNTRIES 86 0,05 -- --

In late 2016, when an agreement has been reached between the EU and Turkey about

migratory flows towards Greece, migration patterns from Turkey to Italian shores started to

increase. Although the numbers keep relatively low, it is necessary to look at this

phenomenon and to take in consideration the several days needed for crossing the sea and

the impossibility to assess the seaworthiness of vessels en route.

The final months of the year have registered a drastic reduction of migratory flows from

Egypt.


8. MIGRATORY FLOW ANALYSIS

a) NATIONALITY

The countries of origin of rescued migrants arriving in Italy via the Central Mediterranean

Sea are, in the most part, countries of the Horn of Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. It is to be

highlighted that, during 2015 and 2016, the number of migrants departing from Syria has

drastically dropped, determining the exit of the country from the top five source areas, due

to a clear choice of alternative migration routes (Turkey – Greece).

SOURCE: MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

0

50.000

42.323 34.3299.938 9.000 8.707

0

40.000

38.61221.886

12.176 8.909 8.123 2015

0

40000

37.55120.718 13.342 12.396 11.929 2016

IVORY COAST

2014SYRIA ERITREA MALI NIGERIA GAMBIA

ERITREA NIGERIA SOMALIA SUDAN GAMBIA

ERITREANIGERIA GAMBIAGUINEA


b) GENDER

The year 2016 has seen an increase of unaccompanied minors on board migrant boats.

In May 2016, the Ministry of

Interior signed a “Declaration of

Intent” with UNICEF to support

humanitarian aid and protection of

unaccompanied minors. This

declaration, alongside with some

preliminary meetings occurred

last summer and the deployment

of a team on board Coast Guard

o f f s h o r e P a t r o l V e s s e l

“DICIOTTI”, allowed UNICEF to

develop with the Italian Coast Guard a partnership of major importance in search and rescue

activities, especially regarding humanitarian assistance to unaccompanied minors.

For the role of coordination and management of S.A.R. operations in the Mediterranean Sea,

the Italian Coast Guard has been appointed “Unicef Ambassador”.

0

30.000

60.000

90.000

120.000

150.000

129.080

24.133 28.223

MEN WOMAN CHILDREN


Unaccompanied Minors92%

Accompanied Minors8%

0

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000

30.000

13.024 12.360

25.846

2014 2015 2016


9. UNSAFE CONDITIONS IN MIGRATORY FLOWS

The period 2015 - 2016 has registered a huge increase of unsafe conditions on board vessels used by migrants fleeing from Libya.

a) UNAVAILABILITY OF SATELLITE PHONES ON VESSELS

The absence of satellite-phones on board migrant vessels has led to intense and complex

search and rescue activity on the occasion off S.A.R.

operations coordinated by M.R.C.C. Rome; this has

also caused more danger for the migrants

themselves, given that

they were not able to

request help nor to be

located.

45%55% nr. 638 Calls by satellite phonenr. 786 Sightings

S.A.R. INFORMATION


0

188

375

563

750

938

1.125

1.313

1.500

938

1.424

747

638

2015 2016

S.A.R. EVENTS SATELLITE PHONES

a) UNAVAILABILITY OF SATELLITE PHONES ON VESSELS

0%

9%

18%

27%

36%

44%

53%

62%

71%

80%

80%

45%

2015 2016

-56%

% SATELLITE PHONE ON BOARD

0%

20,0%

40,0%

60,0%

80,0% 70,2%

17,4% 11,6%0,8%


Despite the number of satellite-phones on board has decreased, the Italian Coast Guard

received the higher number of rescue calls, with a percentage of rescue requests of 90%.

(70.2% + 17.4%).

MRCC Rome other coast guard offices others NGOS

The decrease of the use of satellite-phones by migrants has led to an increase of S.A.R.

events started after sightings were made from air or naval assets deployed in the area.

Furthermore, sightings from an air asset need anyway a S.A.R. activity by means of a naval

asset, which could be many miles away (talking in terms of navigation hours) while the

units with migrants on board keep their own route.

distress satellite phone calls received by

0%500%1.000%1.500%2.000%2.500%3.000%3.500%4.000%4.500%5.000%

45,6% 30,3% 9,1% 5,8% 4,7% 4,5%

% SIGHTING

MIL

ITAR

Y AS

SETS

NG

O

CO

AST

GU

ARD

MER

CH

ANT

VESS

ELS

OTH

ERS

FRO

NTE

X

0%14.000%28.000%42.000%56.000%70.000%

69,4% 29,3 1,3%

DETAILS OF THE SIGHTING MADE BY MILITARY ASSETS

EUN

AVFO

RM

ED

ITAL

IAN

NAV

Y

OTH

ERS

b) USE OF UNSEAWORTHY VESSELS AND NIGHT TIME DEPARTURESThe modus operandi of last years saw an increase of night departures from Libya in bad sea

conditions, resulting in a significant increase of S.A.R activities coordinated by MRCC Rome, while previously departures from Libya heppened during early morning hours and with favourable sea conditions.

C) INCREASED USE OF RUBBER INFLATABLE BOATSRegarding the vessels used by smugglers of migrant, during 2016 the following significative elements have been pointed out:- Increase of the use of rubber boats;- significant decrease of the use of wooden boats;

- use of small boats (10-15 metres length) with at least 20-50 migrants on board.

The number of migrants on board rubber boats, has risen from an average of 100 people to 150, and in some cases 200 and more, which means a higher probability of shipwreck and sinking. This factor is the main cause of increased S.A.R operations, which doubled from 2014 to 2015 (showed in the graphic at pag. 3 ).


RUBBER BOATS MIGRANTS RESCUED ON BOARD RUBBER BOATS

MIGRANTS/BOAT EVERAGE

2015 676 69.617 1032016 1.094 133.073 122 (+18%)

0

300

600

900

1.200

1.500

2015 2016

RUBBER BOATSLARGE WOODEN VESSELSSMALL WOODEN VESSELS


D) S.A.R NEAR THE OUTER LIMITS OF LIBYAN TERRITORIAL WATERSWith the presence of several naval operations in area, sightings of migrant vessels by

EUNAVFORMED operation’s aircrafts and requests of intervention by migrants immediately

after their departure from Libyan shorelines, have acutually increased from 2012 until today.

This also means that the distance between Libyan coasts and the points of interception

where migrants vessels are detected from rescue teams have decreased, nearing the outer

limits of Libyan territorial waters and sometimes going beyond them, thus it is necessary to

get authorization by Libyan authorities to enter Libyan waters.

YEAR 2013

Area of highest concentrations:

BETWEEN MALTESE SSR AND LYBIC

TERRITORIAL WATERS

L I B I A

YEAR 2012


OUTSIDE ITALIAN TERRITORIAL WATERS

( SOUTH OF LAMPEDUSA ISLAND)

DI LAMPEDUSA)L I B I A


YEAR 2015

Area of highest

concentrations:

FEW MILES OUTSIDE LIBYAN TERRITORIAL

WATERSL I B I A

YEAR 2016


NEAR THE OUTER LIMITS OF LIBYAN

TERRITORIAL WATERS

L I B I A

YEAR 2014


OUTSIDE LYBIAN TERRITORIAL

WATERS

L I B I A


10. PERSONS RESCUED IN THE ITALIAN MARITIME SAR REGION COMPARED WITH THE PERSONS

INTERCEPTED ON LAND

(DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2014 AND 2015)

(+14%)(+44%)

53%47%

720 797

CALABRIA

(=)(+14%)

83%

17%2.613536

SARDINIA

SICILY

APULIA

MIGRANTS RESCUED AT SEAMIGRANTS DETECTED ENTRY VIA LAND

(=)(+75%)

15%

85%

983174

(+12%)(+15%)

81%

19%683 2.925


11. ARRIVALS OF MIGRANTS BY SEA COMPARED TO

DEATHS AND MISSING ANALYSIS 2015-2016

ARRIVALS BY SEA DEATH AND MISSING

SOURCES: UNHCR E IOM

050.000

100.000

150.000

200.000

153.846 181.337

2.9134.215

DEATHS + 23%CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN

01.7503.500

5.250

7.000

4.4086.046

59

48

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

0225.000

450.000

675.000

900.000

856.723

173.447

799

422

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

0%

230%

1,85 2,27

0%

30%

0,09

0,24

0%

130%

1,30,8

2015 2016

2015 2016

2015 2016

20162015

20162015

20162015

DEATHS + 116%

DEATHS - 50%

CISOM’s medical teams were present:

In Catania Italian Coast Guard Air Base), with 1 doctor specialized in air-rescue operations (on call

24/7)

On board two Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessels, with 1 doctor and 1 nurse (on call 24/7)

In Lampedusa, on board Italian Coast Guard Fast Patrol Vessels, with 3 doctors and 3 nurses,

plus 1 logistician (on call 24/7)

Medical rescue at the sea

Since 2008 the Italian Relief Corps of the Order of Malta (CISOM) has been granting

first aid to migrants who are trying to reach the southern coasts of the Mediterranean

Sea through the Strait of Sicily. Search and Rescue (S.A.R.) support provided by the

Order of Malta originates from an agreement signed by CISOM and the Italian Coast

Guard. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Interior, Department of Civil

Freedom and Immigration, and it has been included in 2013 in the framework of

community actions of the EU fund for European borders. The project is presently part

of the PASSIM Project (first assistance at sea). The presence of CISOM’s medical and

paramedical personnel, highly qualified in providing medical assistance on board

Coast Guard and Navy ships or helicopters active in S.A.R. operations, assures

immediate and professional interventions even in the worst weather and sea

conditions on the occasion of migratory flows. These rescue skills, along with specific

medical interventions, have made it possible for CISOM to become a specialized

organization in medical rescue at sea. The following figures concern S.A.R. activities

carried out by CISOM in the Strait of Sicily in 2016 with 55 doctors, 55 nurses and 44 trained volunteers :

162 SAR activities (calls)

31.462 people assisted and visited

106 Medevac on behalf of patients in need of urgent evacuation (fast transport to hospital)

11 air-sea rescue operations by helicopter


ACRONYMS

EBCG European Border and Coast Guard Agency

EUNAVFORMED European Union Naval Force Mediterranean

FRONTEX

IOM International Organization for Migration

MRCC Maritime Rescue Coordination Center

NGO Non Governmental Organization

SAR Search and Rescue

UNHCR

UNICEF United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund

European Agency for the Management of Operational

Cooperation at the Member States of the European

Union

Office of the United Nations High Commission

for Refugees

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