Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
1 / 10Crimes of the European Border and Coast Guard
Agency Frontex in the Central Mediterranean Sea
Insights into their ongoing and unpunished aerial
complicity in human rights violations
Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has thetask of preventing people on the move from crossing the externalborders of the European Union. In the Central Mediterranean,
Frontex is not currently present with naval assets but operates
aerial reconnaissance aircraft which fly primarily from European
Member States. Aerial reconnaissance enables Frontex to gather
extensive knowledge about developments in the Central Mediterranean Sea and relay information about boats in distressto the “competent authorities”, though without having to engage in rescues themselves. When spotting a boat in the Libyan
Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zone, Frontex (as has been witnessedon several occasions by the crews of Airborne Operations1) often
only informs the Libyan authorities about a case, despite NGOor merchant vessels also being in the vicinity. By forwarding theinformation to the Libyan Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC)
and sometimes even directly guiding the so-called Libyan Coast
Guard to the position of a boat, Frontex coordinates and facilitates
the interceptions and pullbacks of people in distress to Libya –thus carrying out the EU’s primary aim of preventing people fromsafely reaching Europe. Returning people to Libya means bringing
them back to a place where they are exposed to severe humanrights violations and constitutes a breach of international law.

1 Airborne is the department of the NGO SeaWatch e.V. carrying out
reconnaissance flights.
2 Since 2017, together
with the Swiss NGO
Humanitarian Pilots
Initiative, Sea-Watch
monitors the Central
Mediterranean with its
two aircraft Moonbirdand Seabird.

For almost 4 years, the crews of the aircraft Moonbird and Seabird2
have witnessed this practice as well as the refusal of Frontex aircraft
to cooperate with NGOs at sea, with the intended consequence thatpeople in distress are not rescued in a fast and safe manner andthen taken to a place of safety in Europe – as is required by international maritime law. Instead, the agency relies on the so-called
Libyan Coast Guard to illegally return people to Libya.

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
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Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
2 / 10This factsheet outlines a selection of representative distress casesin the Central Mediterranean involving Frontex aircraft whichwere witnessed by Airborne’s crews. In addition to Airborne’s
observations from the air, open radio communications and theretrospective matching of Frontex aircraft flight tracks (which canbe partly viewed on open online portals) also serve as a basis forthe reconstruction of these distress cases. The combination of thisdata allows conclusions to be drawn about the involvement ofFrontex in pullbacks to Libya.

3 These numbers arebased upon the estimations of Moonbird’s andSeabird‘s crew, as wellas numbers which theinitiative Watch The Med Alarm Phone, the UNHCR
and IOM have provided
to us.

1. Overview of selected distress cases involving Frontex aircraft

Maltese Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zone
• 1 distress case, around 30 persons, was pulled back to Libyaby the so-called Libyan Coast Guard due to support provided
by Frontex• 1 distress case, 40 persons, was rescued by the NGO vessel
Open Arms and disembarked in Porto Empedocle, Italy• Estimated3 number of persons in distress: approximatively 70Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
3 / 10Libyan Search-and-Rescue (SAR) zone
• 3 distress cases, around 201 persons, were pulled back toLibya by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard due to support provided by Frontex

4 A video of the pullback and Frontex
aircraft is available at:https://t.co/x2dirXk3lf

2. Details and outcome of the distress cases
12.02.20., distress case A, around 50 persons: involvement of Frontex in an interception by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. Moonbird’s crew witnessed the airplane Osprey1, operated by Frontex,
staying on-scene with the boat in distress until the so-called Libyan
Coast Guard patrol boat Fezzan intercepted it in the Libyan SARzone. Upon completion of the operation, Frontex was overheard on
an open radio channel announcing “operation complete, heading
North”.4 The persons on board were pulled back and later disembarked in Libya.

On 12.02.20, Frontex aircraft on-scene an interception.
Photo: Neeske Beckmann

On 12.02.20, interception of around 50 persons by the so-called
Libyan Coast Guard. Photo: Neeske Beckmann

17.06.20., distress case B, around 70 persons: Frontex involvement in
an interception and pullback to Libya. Moonbird’s crew spotted thepeople in distress in the Libyan SAR zone, who were not wearing lifevests. When Moonbird’s ground crew called the Libyan authorities,
the officer on the phone informed us that the so-called Libyan Coast
Guard were proceeding to the boat and already had two patrol boats
in the area. When Moonbird’s crew spotted the people again, the socalled Libyan Coast Guard were about to intercept the people and theFrontex airplane Eagle1 was on-scene. The people in distress wereintercepted and disembarked in Libya. On this day, the NGO vessel
Sea-Watch 3 was also operational in the Central Mediterranean Sea.

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
4 / 10On 17.06.20, interception of around 70 persons by the so-called
Libyan Coast Guard. Photo: Felix Weiss

On 17.06.20, Frontex airplane Eagle1 on-scene an interception.
Photo: Felix Weiss

28.08.20., distress case C, around 30 persons: interception by theso-called Libyan Coast Guard in the Maltese (!) SAR zone, likely
coordinated by Frontex aircraft. Airborne’s ground crew observeda Frontex aircraft orbiting in the Libyan SAR zone, close to theMaltese SAR zone boundary. Later, in the same area, Moonbird’screw spotted the so-called Libyan Coast Guard patrol boat Al-Kifah heading north in the Maltese SAR zone. Around 5 nauticalmiles (nm)5 away, a boat was carrying around 30 persons. The
Italian and Maltese authorities were informed about the distresscase and of its likely interception, but did not take any action
to prevent it. Moonbird’s crew observed the interception of thepeople by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard in the Maltese SARzone, around 8 nm from the SAR zone boundary. The people
were pulled back to Libya. Both the NGO vessels Astral and Louise
Michel were also operational in the Central Mediterranean at thistime and were never contacted by Frontex aircraft.

On 28.08.20, interception of around 30 persons by the so-called Libyan
Coast Guard in the Maltese (!) SAR zone is about to happen.
Photo: Hannah Nickel

5 “Nautical miles” (nm)is the unit of measurement used at sea.
1 nautical mile is equal
to 1,852 kilometers.

Screenshot of Frontex track on 28.08.20
Source: flightradar24.com

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
5 / 10On 28.08.20, interception of around 30 persons
by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard in theMaltese (!) SAR zone is about to happen.
Photo: Hannah Nickel

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
6 / 1022.01.21., distress case D, 81 persons: likely guidance by Frontex
aircraft of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard to people in distress,
NGO vessel in the vicinity not contacted. The initiative Watch
The Med - Alarm Phone was called by the 81 persons on board
a boat in distress and alerted the authorities. The civilian aircraft Colibri 2 then spotted the people in the Libyan SAR zone.
Meanwhile, Moonbird’s ground crew observed the track of Frontex aircraft Osprey3, which orbited above the persons and then left
the scene, first flying towards Tripoli and then back again to thepeople in distress. We have to assume that the Frontex aircraft wasguiding the so-called Libyan Coast Guard to the distress case. Intotal, Osprey3 orbited for more than 40 minutes above the persons
in distress. By the time Moonbird’s aircrew spotted the people
in the Libyan SAR zone, Osprey3 had already left the scene andwas heading back to its home base. The so-called Libyan Coast
Guard patrol boat Fezzan was at this point only 1 nm away. Moonbird’s crew observed Fezzan intercepting the people and pullingthem back to Libya. The NGO vessel Ocean Viking was operational in the area at this time and was never contacted by Frontex’s
aircraft in order to rescue the people. Instead, Frontex most likelycoordinated a pullback to Libya.

On 22.01.21, interception of 81 persons by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard.
Photo: Felix Weiss

Screenshot of Frontex track on 22.01.21
Source: flightradar24.com

07.02.21., an empty boat on fire and an interception likely coordinated by Frontex aircraft. On 07.02., Moonbird’s ground crew
observed Frontex aircraft Eagle1 orbiting around a position in
the Libyan SAR zone. When Moonbird’s aircrew arrived on-scene,
an empty burning boat was spotted. The so-called Libyan Coast
Guard patrol boat Fezzan was also spotted on-scene at this timewith around 32 persons on deck, who were later pulled back to

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
7 / 10Libya. According to the observed Frontex track, we have to assume
that Frontex aircraft once again coordinated a pullback to Libya ofpeople in distress.

On 07.02.21, empty burning boat following an interception in the Libyan
SAR zone.

On 07.02.21, so-called Libyan Coast Guard patrol boat Fezzan spotted witharound 32 persons on deck.

Screenshot of Frontex track on 07.02.21
Source: globe.adsbexchange.com

Screenshot of Frontex track on 07.02.21
Source: globe.adsbexchange.com

12.02.21., distress case E, 40 persons: Frontex and Maltese aircraft
involvement, non-assistance by merchant vessels, so-called
Libyan Coast Guard intimidation of NGO crew in the Maltese
SAR zone. Seabird’s ground crew observed Frontex aircraft Eagle1
orbiting around a position in the Maltese SAR zone. Arriving onscene, Seabird’s crew found 40 persons in distress who were notwearing any life vests. The waves at this time were higher than
1 meter. The merchant vessel Vos Triton, flying the flag of Gibraltar, was the nearest vessel in the vicinity. The port authorities ofLampedusa were informed via radio about the people in distress,and confirmed that they would coordinate with the Italian Coast
Guard regarding the case. Meanwhile, the Vos Triton was heading

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
8 / 10away from the people, and the merchant vessel Asalet, flying theTurkish flag, altered its course to assist the people. The Malteseauthorities only took the information provided by Seabird’s
ground crew but provided no information in return, insisting thatthey were busy with many cases. The Italian authorities confirmed
having received the email from the ground crew but also did notprovide any further information, advising a call to the “competentauthorities”, namely the Maltese. Proceeding with the mission,Seabird’s crew found the so-called Libyan Coast Guard patrol boat
Fezzan in the Maltese (!) SAR zone, heading at full speed towards
the people in distress. The Libyan authorities were never informed
by Seabird’s ground crew regarding this boat in distress, since
the boat was located in the Maltese SAR zone. Therefore we must
assume that the presence of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard in
the Maltese SAR zone was coordinated by one of the European
actors involved in the case. The NGO vessel Open Arms then alsoarrived on-scene, heading towards the boat in distress. Seabird’screw observed the so-called Libyan Coast Guard next to an OpenArms RHIB6, trying to block the RHIB by driving in front of it andusing the ensuing waves to disrupt its course. The so-called Libyan
Coast Guard patrol boat then headed south, passed by another
deployed RHIB. When Seabird’s crew checked on the people indistress for a final time, an aircraft belonging to the Armed Forces of Malta was also on-scene. The people were rescued in theevening by the NGO vessel Open Arms and disembarked in Porto
Empedocle, Italy on 16.02.

On 12.02.21, 40 persons in distress in the Maltese SAR zone, spotted earlier
by a Frontex aircraft according to its track. Photo: David Lohmueller

6 A rigid inflatable boat
is a fast, lightweightand stable boat usuallyused by the military for
operations at sea.

Screenshot of Frontex track on 12.02.21
Source: planefinder.net

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
9 / 10On 12.02.21, the so-called Libyan Coast Guard patrol boat
blocking one of Open Arm’s RHIBs in the Maltese (!) SAR zone.
Photo: David Lohmueller

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.

Crimes of the European Border andCoast Guard Agency Frontex in theCentral Mediterranean Sea
10 / 10These missions highlight once again:••••

the externalization policies of the European Union, which iscomplicit in pullbacks to Libya and thus a facilitator of humanrights violations
the participation of the European Border and Coast Guard
Agency Frontex in the interceptions and pullbacks undertakenby the so-called Libyan Coast Guard
the lack of cooperation of Frontex with other vessels in thevicinity available to conduct rescue operations
the need for NGO vessels in the Central Mediterranean inorder to uphold the law and save human lives

We therefore demand:•••

The immediate abolition of Frontex - an agency which systematically violates human rights and maintains the EU’s isolation
policyInstead, a full-scale sea rescue programme coordinatedand funded by the EU
Safe and legal entry routes to the EU, so that no one is forced
to make the dangerous crossing over the Mediterranean Sea

Sea-Watch e.V., c/o dka-Anwälte · Immanuelkirchstraße 3 - 4, 10405 Berlin • Register of associations: VR 34179 B (AG Berlin Charlottenburg)
OFFICE: Sea-Watch e.V. – Advocacy · Moosdorfstr. 7-9, 12435 Berlin • eMail: advocacy@sea-watch.org
DONATE: IBAN DE77 1002 0500 0002 0222 88 · Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft Berlin · BIC: BFSWDE33BER · Recognized as non-profit organization.