Selected Distress at Sea Incidents involving Refugees and Migrants in 2011 The following provides an overview of selected distress

at sea incidents involving persons of concern to UNHCR in several regions between 1 January 2011 and 1 !ctober 2011" #t is based on des$ research of publicly available %edia sources conducted between &ugust and !ctober 2011" #t is not e'haustive( nor has UNHCR verified the infor%ation" The ob)ective of the table is to indicate the nature and scale of distress at sea incidents across the world" The disproportionately high nu%ber of incidents in the *editerranean reflected in the table is partly due to the hu%anitarian e%ergency in +ibya and a high nu%ber of resulting departures in the first half of 2011" #n addition( it see%s that infor%ation on rescue at sea incidents in the *editerranean region is %ore accessible than in other regions" The table is focused on distress at sea situations( and does not include interception cases or general irregular arrivals by sea"
Region Approx. Date of Distress Incident 01.02.2011 Vessels Place of Departure Unknown Presu ed! Declared Destination Unknown "ocation of Distress Incident Northwest of Mona Island, Puerto Rico North of !u a Approx. #o. Passengers 22 #ationalit$% Age and Sex &'(ere )no'n* 2 Dominican Repu lic, 20 !u a ( !u a +utco e Approx. #o. Missing! Dead None

A ericas

1&.0'.2011

!u a

Unknown

2*.0'.2011

+aiti

Unknown

North of +aiti

'0

'0 +aiti

2 Dominican alle"ed smu""lers were intercepted and transferred for further in#esti"ations. $he 20 additional !u ans were picked up in Puerto Rico with rescue coordination operations on the wa%. ) Ro%al !ari ean cruise ship spotted a raft of the northern coast of !u a. $he% took persons a oard treated them and later the% handed them o#er to !oast"uard officials. $he !oast"uard rescued '0 +aitians found North of +aiti on an o#ercrowded #essel. $he !oast"uard repatriated all of the indi#iduals found to !ap +atien, +aiti.

None

None

Region

Approx. Date of Distress Incident 1*.0&.2011 02.03.2011

Vessels Place of Departure ,amaica !u a

Presu ed! Declared Destination United -tates United -tates

"ocation of Distress Incident .ast of /lorida -outh of /lorida 5ff coast of $urks and !aicos 5ff the coast of southern Mala%sia In the waters etween Indonesia and Mala%sia Pan"adaran 61,200 from ,a#a Island7 5ff the coast of <emen 5ff the coast of <emen * nautical miles from the coast of <emen

Approx. #o. Passengers 12 3

#ationalit$% Age and Sex &'(ere )no'n* 12 ,amaica 3 !u a

+utco e

12.0(.2011

+aiti

Unknown

10

10 +aiti

Asia, Pacific

01.0&.2011 20.03.2011

Mala%sia Mala%sia

Indonesia Indonesia

20 *&

Indonesia 6residin" in Mala%sia7 Indonesia 6residin" in Mala%sia7 Reportedl% )f"hanistan: some children Mainl% .thiopia, three -omalia .thiopia -omalia

!oast"uard responded to a capsi0ed #essel off the coast of Palm 1each, /lorida. $he% rescued 11 of 12 indi#iduals. ) Ro%al !ari ean cruise ship picked up 3 !u an rafters at sea and were rou"ht on oard. 4ater the% were "i#en to the coast"uard and held in custod%. 10 passen"ers drowned while ein" transferred to shore % a small din"h%, which had ille"all% entered the waters of $urks and !aicos. 1oat capsi0ed. 13 persons rescued % the coast"uards of Mala%sia and -in"apore. Rescued % Mala%sian officials after recei#in" a distress si"nal. Rescuees were detained % Mala%sian authorities. ;essel capsi0ed. *3 rescued % Indonesian na#%. ;essel capsi0ed. ;essel capsi0ed. ;essel capsi0ed.

Approx. #o. Missing! Dead 1 drowned None

10 dead

12 missin" None

01.11.2011 -ulf of Aden 02.01.2011 02.01.2011 20.02.2011

Indonesia Unknown Unknown Northern -omalia

!hristmas Island, )ustralia <emen <emen <emen

30890 *' 208*0 '9

10 dead, remainin" missin" *2 dead Unknown '3 dead 6includin" 2 smu""lers7

Region

Approx. Date of Distress Incident 0&.03.2011

Vessels Place of Departure -udan, 1'0 km south of Port -udan, near the order with .ritrea Unknown

Presu ed! Declared Destination -audi )ra ia

"ocation of Distress Incident 5ff the coast of -udan

Approx. #o. Passengers )ppro=. 200

#ationalit$% Age and Sex &'(ere )no'n* 1elie#ed to e -omalia

+utco e

1oat sank after catchin" fire. 2 people rescued. $he cause of the fire is unknown.

Approx. #o. Missing! Dead )ppro=. 200 drowned

11.09.2011

-audi )ra ia

5ff the coast of -udan 6Port -udan7 5ff !orfu Island, >reece

193

Mediterra nean

>reece 19.01.2011

Ital%

More than 2'0

1'.02.2011

4i %a

Ital% or Malta Ital%

International waters en route to Ital% 29 nautical miles west of Pa=oi Island, >reece 5ff the coast of 4i %a

1,900

-udan, !ameroon, Ni"er, !entral )frican Repu lic Mainl% )f"hanistan 6who had een li#in" in >reece7 Mainl% Morocco Unknown

1oat was in distress, ran a"round and cau"ht fire. '& sur#i#ors 6*0 -udanese and the remainin" from !ameroon, Ni"eria and !)R7. Passen"ers claimed that their #essel had een hit % a car"o ship. 220 sur#i#ors transferred to !orfu Island. ;essel pro#ided with fuel and food % Italian authorities, ut onl% in international waters. ;essel e#entuall% taken to Morocco. People tra#elin" on an unseaworth% #essel towards Ital% issued distress calls. ) search and rescue team was immediatel% dispatched to the area. 2 passen"ers fell into the sea durin" the rescue operation. ;essel came into distress shortl% after departure ut alle"edl% was unassisted despite -5- si"nals. It washed up on a western 4i %an each on 10 March, where sur#i#ors were arrested % 4i %an authorities.

12& reportedl% dead, 3 odies reco#ered )ppro=. 22 dead

None

22.02.2011

I"ouminitsa, >reece

112

2 missin"

2'.02.2011

$ripoli, 4i %a

Ital%

32

*3 .thiopia, 3 Ni"eria, 3 .ritrea, & >hana, ' -udan: '0 men, 20 women, 2 children

&1 dead

Region

Approx. Date of Distress Incident 23.02.2011

Vessels Place of Departure 4i %a

Presu ed! Declared Destination Ital%

"ocation of Distress Incident 30 nautical miles from 4ampedusa, Ital%

Approx. #o. Passengers 2'082'0

2(.02.2011 0&.0*.2011

4i %a ?uwarah, 4i %a

Malta Ital%

3 nautical miles west of >o0o, Malta )ppro= *0 miles off 4ampedusa, Ital%, in Maltese waters Pantelleria, Ital% 4ampedusa, Ital% Near 4ampedusa, Ital% 5ff the coast of Montril@ )dra 6)lmeria7, -pain

291 5#er 200 6perhaps o#er 2'07

#ationalit$% Age and Sex &'(ere )no'n* $unisia, -omalia, .thiopia and .ritrea. )ppro=. 10 children and 20 women. .ritrea: 30 women 2& children Possi l% $unisia, .ritrea, -omalia Unknown $unisia 1an"ladesh, Mali, Ni"eria and Pakistan: &2 women, 13 children. -u 8-aharan )frica

+utco e

$he #essel was in distress. Passen"ers were initiall% assisted % the !anadian warship takin" part in a mission % N)$5. +owe#er the #essel ran into distress once a"ain soon after this assistance was pro#ided. Italian coast"uards intercepted. ;essel intercepted and assisted % Maltese authorities. Maltese authorities led rescue operations with the assistance of the Italian coast"uard. *9 indi#iduals were rescued. 2 more sur#i#ors were rescued % pri#ate fishin" oats. 1oat ran a"round and passen"ers were rescued % Italian !oast"uard scu a di#ers. $he #essel landed in 4ampedusa after ein" stranded for * da%s due to ad weather conditions. $he Italian coast"uard inter#ened to tow the #essel to safet%.

Approx. #o. Missing! Dead None

None )ppro= 120 missin", 20 drowned

1*.0*.2011 1(.0*.2011 1(.0*.2011

4i %a Unknown $ripoli, 4i %a

Ital% Ital% Ital%

2'0 '0 )ppro=. 3&0

2 dead None None

0'.0'.2011

Nador, Morocco

-pain

)ppro=. '2

)ppro=. 20 people rescued % the -panish coast"uard.

* dead, o#er 19 missin"

Region

Approx. Date of Distress Incident 0&.0'.2011 09.0'.2011

Vessels Place of Departure $ripoli, 4i %a 4i %a

Presu ed! Declared Destination .urope Reportedl% Malta Ital%

"ocation of Distress Incident 5ff the coast of 4i %a Ran a"round 4ampedusa, Ital% (0 nautical miles from 4ampedusa, Ital% -e#eral miles off the coast of Ital% 20 nautical miles from Berkennah Islands, $unisia 1 mile from 4ampedusa, Ital% (0 miles south of 4ampedusa, Ital% MaltaCs search and rescue area, -outh of 4ampedusa, Ital%

Approx. #o. Passengers )ppro= &008300 '29

#ationalit$% Age and Sex &'(ere )no'n* Unknown Mi"rants from -u 8-aharan )frica@)sia li#in" in 4i %a Unknown

+utco e

$his report is ased on e%ewitness accounts from arri#als in 4ampedusa, Ital% and appear unconfirmed Italian coast"uard, some local fisherman, rescued passen"ers as their oat ran a"round on the 4ampedusa. )ll the passen"ers were rescued.

Approx. #o. Missing! Dead )t least 1& dead, others missin" None

12.0'.2011

$ripoli, 4i %a Aest of $ripoli, 4i %a 4i %a

220

None

1(.0'.2011

Ital%

)ppro=. '00 3008900

)frica: at least 20 women. Aest )frica, Pakistan, 1an"ladesh -u 8-aharan )frica, includin" up to '0 -omalis Unknown Unknown

21.0'.2011

4ampedusa, Ital%

;essel had suspected en"ine pro lem. Persons were transferred onto Italian coast"uard and custom patrol oats and rou"ht to 4ampedusa. $unisian coast "uard responded to rescue call, sa#in" at least '90 people.

None

2008230 missin"

21.03.2011

4i %a

Ital%

2(&82(3

Italian authorities responded to the #essel in distress and escorted it to 4ampedusa

2'82& dead

0*.09.2011 1'.09.2011

Unknown Unknown

Ital% Unknown

23* 22*

Persons rescued % Italian authorities, ut alle"ed contact % other authorities prior to rescue. Italian Na#% sou"ht disem arkation in Malta, which was refused. Persons disem arked in Ital%.

20820 dead Unknown

'

Region

Approx. Date of Distress Incident 1&.09.2011 22.09.2011

Vessels Place of Departure Unknown $unisia

Presu ed! Declared Destination Unknown Ital%

"ocation of Distress Incident 5ff the coast of Bos Island, >reece Italian waters

Approx. #o. Passengers *0 )ppro=. 100

#ationalit$% Age and Sex &'(ere )no'n* Unknown $unisia

+utco e

Indi#iduals disem arked in Bos, >reece, followin" a search8and8rescue operation. $he #essel in distress was intercepted % a petrol tanker that handed the passen"ers o#er to an Italian Na#% ship. -e#en indi#iduals transferred to 4ampedusa due to ill health, remainin" returned to $unisia. Rescued % -panish authorities after distress call made % indi#idual on the oat to a friend on the mainland, who alerted the National >uard. ;essel identified and rescued % -panish authorities. $he crew of an unidentified #essel, carr%in" an unknown num er of passen"ers, compelled passen"ers to a andon the #essel when still in deep waters. ;essel rescued off the coast of Mo0am iDue. $he sur#i#ors were sent to a reception centre in Nampula, Mo0am iDue.

Approx. #o. Missing! Dead Unknown None

2*.09.2011

Unknown

-pain

09.10.2011

Morocco

-pain

2.' miles off the coast of /uerte#entura, -pain !lose to Motril@)da, -pain 5ff the coast of Northern Mo0am iDue 5ff the coast of Northern Mo0am iDue

29

'* 62 oats7

Sout(ern Africa

02.01.2011

Unknown

-outh )frica

Unknown

North )frica. )ppro=. 1@2 of the passen"ers were minors. Morocco, -u 8 -aharan )frica: some minors -omalia, .thiopia 9( -omali, *0 .thiopia

None

None

11 dead

0'.02.2011

-omalia

-outh )frica

12(

'1 dead

&