MILANO – Today at around 2pm Life Support Of EMERGENCY landed in the port of Ancona, at dock 19, for the disembarkation of the 49 shipwrecked people rescued last November 12th in the international waters of the Maltese SAR zone, in the Central Mediterranean.
I set the disembarkation at 5 days of navigation from the place of the rescue. “After the rescue – said Domenico Pugliese, commander of the ship – the Italian authorities assigned us the port of Ancona for the disembarkation of the castaways, which is five days’ navigation away from the intervention area. The weather conditions were not favourable, the wind and sea caused ailments and discomfort to the people rescued.” The castaways on board showed symptoms of seasickness. It is the fifth time that a disembarkation port has been assigned in the Adriatic Sea, very far from the place where the rescue took place: “This – said Domenico Pugliese – forces us to stay away from the operational area in the Central Mediterranean for more than a week. Search and rescue ships should instead be able to stay where they are needed, rather than spending so much time reaching distant ports.”
They had left on a boat without safety equipment. The people rescued last Tuesday afternoon were traveling aboard a small fiberglass boat, overcrowded, unsuitable for crossing the Mediterranean and without the necessary safety equipment, such as life jackets. In the days immediately before and after the rescue, the Life Support noted an intense presence of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard in the operational area, and several small empty boats were spotted from the command bridge. This leads us to think that there have been several pushbacks towards Libya, a country that cannot be considered safe due to internal conflicts and numerous human rights violations documented by many international bodies.
Silence on the treatment of asylum seekers. In this already critical context, the news of amendments to remove the competence on the validation of detention of asylum seekers from the specialized immigration sections of civil courts or to secrecy on contracts for supplies and services for vehicles and materials transferred to third countries for control is worrying. of flows, which in practice means no longer knowing anything about the patrol boats that we hand over to Libya or Tunisia.
Symptoms of dehydration in castaways. “From an initial assessment carried out immediately after the rescue – explains Elena Mari, doctor on board the Life Support – the people showed dehydration, seasickness and skin lesions. During the visits carried out in the following days of navigation it emerged that three of the people rescued were diabetic. Obviously until we arrive in Ancona we will continue to take care of all the castaways.”
On the boat were 6 women and a boy who was traveling alone. The 49 castaways, including 6 women and unaccompanied minors, had left from Al-Zawiya in Libya and come from Syria, Egypt and Bangladesh, countries victims of violence, political insecurity, poverty and natural disasters aggravated by the climate crisis. “I come from a city in southern Syria, Idlib, a place that has been very affected by war in recent years – says a 32-year-old boy -. I worked as a part-time waiter and the rest of the time I collected plastic around the city to take it to a plant where it was recycled. This allowed me to put some money aside. After years of constant bombing, last year I managed to raise the money to leave the city together with my family, we went to a town not far from Damascus”.
The testimony of a young Syrian. From there – he continues – my journey to Europe began via Libya. I spent 5 months in Al-Zawiya in small apartments with other Syrians, even 30 people crammed into one apartment, they moved us two or three times a month and we couldn’t leave the house. During this time I tried to cross the Mediterranean twice, but the Libyans caught us and took us to a prison and told us that if we didn’t pay thousands of dollars they would open our bellies and take away our organs to resell. It wasn’t an empty threat, they really do. Luckily I was able to pay, but this makes it clear that Libyans see us migrants only as goods. And this was the thing that hurt me the most, not the direct physical violence, but being told that my body was a commodity, that my life was only worth what was in my pocket.”
The work of Life Support. The Emergency ship, which has been operating in the central Mediterranean since December 2022, will complete its 26th mission with this landing in Ancona. So far it has rescued 2,342 people.
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Many individuals set out on this perilous journey due to dire circumstances at home. Economic instability, armed conflict, and persecution have pushed countless people to seek refuge and better opportunities elsewhere. The desperation often outweighs the risks associated with crossing the Mediterranean, leading them to take to the seas in search of safety and a chance for a new life.
Guest 1: Dr. Elena Mari, Doctor on board the Life Support
Guest 2: Ahmed, 32-year-old Syrian survivor rescued at sea
1. Could you discuss the importance of providing immediate medical attention to those rescued at sea, as well as their overall well-being during such long journeys?
2. How does the location assigned for disembarkation affect the efficiency of rescue operations and the health of the rescued individuals?
3. Are there any specific challenges that you faced while treating patients with medical conditions or disabilities during these rescues?
4. What are your thoughts on the ongoing situation of migrants in Libya and the role of search and rescue operations in addressing it?
5. Can you share any details about the conditions that led to these individuals setting out on the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean?
Guest 1:
1. Providing immediate medical attention is crucial, especially for people who have spent days at sea without access to proper care or resources. Our team ensures that we assess their condition as soon as possible and provide medication and any necessary treatment to prevent further health complications. The journey itself can be traumatic and exhausting, so we also prioritize providing emotional support and a stable environment for them to recover in.
2. Assigning disembarkation ports far from the rescue location hinders our ability to respond to emergencies quickly and efficiently. It also causes unnecessary delays and discomfort for those already vulnerable. We should be able to stay closer to the areas of operation, where we are needed most.
3. Yes, we have encountered patients with various medical conditions and disabilities during our rescues. We make sure to have a comprehensive medical kit on board to handle these situations and have doctors and nurses trained to assess and treat different ailments. In some cases, we have to transfer patients to more specialized facilities if necessary.
4. The situation in Libya is concerning, with numerous reports of human rights violations and abuse of migrants. The pushbacks towards Libya are concerning, as it puts these vulnerable individuals at even greater risk. Search and rescue operations play a vital role in saving lives and upholding international law, but
