Migrant boat wreck in Calabria
1.3.2023
Priority question for written answer P-000687/2023
to the Commission
Rule 138
Laura Ferrara (NI), Fabio Massimo Castaldo (NI), Sabrina Pignedoli (NI), Mario Furore (NI), Maria Angela Danzì (NI)
At least 67 people, including many children, died on 26 February after a migrant vessel was shipwrecked off the coast of Calabria. The death toll is likely to rise. The vessel was sighted on the night of 25 February by a Frontex aircraft on patrol. Two law enforcement units (from the Guardia di Finanza) sought to reach and intercept the boat of migrants, but returned to port owing to adverse weather conditions. The boat wreck happened just tens of metres from the shore several hours after Frontex reported its sighting. An investigation is under way to piece together the exact sequence of events and how rescue efforts unfolded. Given that Frontex provides technical and operational assistance to the Member States to support any search and rescue operations they may carry out to save people in distress at sea when conducting maritime border surveillance, can the Commission answer the following:
- 1.What steps did Frontex take immediately after its first alert to contribute to or cooperate in search and rescue efforts, or to provide assistance so as to prevent the overcrowded vessel in distress from sinking?
- 2.To prevent future tragedies, does it intend to boost Member States’ search and rescue capabilities or to pave the way for EU-run SAR operations?
Supporter[1]
Submitted: 1.3.2023
- [1] This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Tiziana Beghin(NI)