NATO fails to rescue Libyan migrant boat

30 March 2012 | 03:48 Code : 1899438 Latest Headlines
The Council of Europe inquiry says a "catalogue of errors" by NATO and coastguards led to the deaths of 63 Libyans fleeing the North African country during the war last year.


The report published on Thursday said two NATO ships close by failed to mount a rescue operation despite emergency calls, and despite knowing the location of the distressed boat.

The nine-month inquiry concluded that there were many opportunities to rescue the victims. Only nine people survived the 15-day Mediterranean voyage headed for the Italian island of Lampedusa.

"These people did not need to die. If different actors had intervened or had intervened correctly, they could have been rescued on several occasions. More has to be done to avoid people dying in their desperate attempts to reach Europe," the report said.

At least 1,500 people died at sea trying to reach Europe in 2011, according to the report by Europe's human rights watchdog.

Last may, a boat full of immigrants fled Tripoli and fell adrift in the Mediterranean Sea. Out of the 72 Africans on board, only nine managed to survive.

The rest, including two babies, died of thirst and starvation or in storms before the boat was washed back onto Libyan shores two weeks later.