V_SAR Op 10.06.21 B

10 June 2021 – Op 10.06.21 B

Case B – Ras El Jadir – capture of 288 people

Pushback of 3 or 6 boats from international waters to Libya, operated by the Libyan patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648. The information gathered does not yet make it possible to prove that the pushback was coordinated by Operation Themis (Italian government + Frontex).

The people captured are 288, including 3 women and 3 children. The nationalities of the pushback victims are: Bangladesh 164, Chad 1, Egypt 6, Eritrea 5, Ethiopia 13, Ghana 17, Guinea 1, Morocco 9, Nigeria 3, Pakistan 5, Sierra Leone 4 and Sudan 60.

The dynamic: Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 spotted various boats in international waters. The Libyan patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 arrived and captured them. Pilotes Volontaires’ aircraft Colibrì filmed at least one capture. The patrol boat disembarked 288 people in Tripoli.

The day of 10 June

As of 10 June 2021, a whole day had passed where at least 9 boats could be seen at sea while fleeing from Libya, together with one from Tunisia. The boat which set sail from Tunisia disembarked in Lampedusa, a wooden boat which set sail from Libya with 26 people on board was rescued by the NGO ship Geo Barents. The people on the other boats, however, were captured and deported to Libya.

Pilotes Volontaires’ aircraft Colibrì was flying and witnessed 3 captures operated by the Libyan patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648. It filmed one.

Operation Themis registered the pushback of 353 people on 8 different boats. (Source: JORA database). The Libyans mentioned 452 people who were on 6 boats and were captured by 3 patrol boats (Source: Rgowans). IOM registered 429 + 61 people captured (Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2024392947721652&set=a.596682760492685)

JL Project identified 3 different pushbacks:

• Case A: 13 people (all of Libyan nationality) who were on a fibreglass boat were captured by the patrol boat Zawiya 656 and disembarked in Zawiya.
• Case B: 288 people who were on 3 different boats were captured by the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 and disembarked in Tripoli.
• Case C: 151 people who were on 2 different boats were captured by the patrol boat Ubari 660 and disembarked in Tripoli.

Case B – 288 people captured by the patrol boat Ras El Jadir

The case is illustrated in a Twitter thread posted by Rgowans, the spokesperson of the Libyan militia, to this link https://x.com/rgowans/status/1403319484211998725

Themis data

Operation Themis registers 8 different pushbacks to Libya on 10 June. The data in the Frontex JORA database are:

DetectionDate	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00
IncidentNumber_M3	443215	443331	443332	443333	443335	443339	443340	443342
IncidentId	627174	627855	627859	627862	627870	627881	627889	627894
num_l_MigrantsDeterred					80
num_total_persons	25	30	27	25	0	101	43	22
IncidentStatus	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted
IncidentAttachements	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
OperationName	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021
GroupedOperationName	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis
OperationStatus	Inactive	Inactive	Inactive	Inactive	Inactive	Inactive	Inactive	Inactive
OperationSectorType	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA
LocationType	LCC	LCC	LCC	LCC	LCC	LCC	LCC	LCC
ReportingCountry	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy
ReportingCountryISO	ITA	ITA	ITA	ITA	ITA	ITA	ITA	ITA
ReportingDate	10/06/2021	11/06/2021	11/06/2021	11/06/2021	11/06/2021	11/06/2021	11/06/2021	11/06/2021
ReportingTime	09:54:11	07:52:10	07:56:15	07:59:18	08:13:15	08:18:29	08:21:39	08:24:49
IncidentLastUpdate	17:57:42	13:10:42	13:11:53	13:14:21	14:52:27	13:15:31	12:04:10	13:17:10
GuestOfficerInvolved	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
EntryExit	Entry	Entry	Entry	Entry	Entry	Entry	Entry	Entry
SharedWithEurosur	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
DetectionInitiatedBy	Other	Other	Other	Other	MAS	Other	Other	Other
ReferenceToOpArea	out	out	out	out		out	out	out
DetectionLatitude	33,35	32,9	32,9	32,9		33,95	33,3833333333	33
DetectionLongitude	12,05	13,1833333333	13,1833333333	13,1666666666		11,7833333333	14,4166666666	14,4666666666
InterceptionDate	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00
InterceptionPlaceType	Prevention of departure	Prevention of departure	Prevention of departure	Prevention of departure	Prevention of departure	Prevention of departure	Prevention of departure	Prevention of departure
InterceptionLatitude	33,3666666666	32,9	32,9	32,9		33,95	33	33
InterceptionLongitude	12,0333333333	13,1666666666	13,1833333333	13,1666666666		11,7833333333	14,4666666666	14,4666666666
DetectionByFrxAsset	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
InterceptionByFrxAsset	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
OtherFrontexAssetInvolvement	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
FrontexInvolvement	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
SAR	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
PlaceOfDeparture	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia
CountryOfDeparture	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya
CountryOfDepartureISO	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY
Disembarkation	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia
DisembarkationCountry	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya
DisembarkationCountryISO	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY	LBY
num_l_TransportMeansNumber	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
MotherBoat	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
SpeedBoat	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
TransportType	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat
2.IncidentId	627174	627855	627859	627862	627870	627881	627889	627894
2.IncidentStatus	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted	Accepted
2.OperationName	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021
2.OperationStatus	Active	Active	Active	Active	Active	Active	Active	Active
2.OperationSectorType	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA
2.PrimaryIncidentType	Prevention of departure	Third Country Action	Third Country Action	Third Country Action	Prevention of departure	Third Country Action	Prevention of departure	Third Country Action
2.EntryExit				Exit		Exit	Exit	Exit
2.SAR	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
2.DetectionByFrxAsset	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
2.InterceptionByFrxAsset	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
2.OtherFrontexAssetInvolvement	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
2.FrontexInvolvement	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
2.ReportingCountry	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy
2.InterceptionDate	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00
2.ReportingDate	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-11T00:00:00	2021-06-11T00:00:00	2021-06-11T00:00:00	2021-06-11T00:00:00	2021-06-11T00:00:00	2021-06-11T00:00:00	2021-06-11T00:00:00
2.GeneralDate	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-10T00:00:00	2021-06-10T00:00:00
2.CountryOfDeparture	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya
2.DetectionInitiatedBy	Other	Other	Other	Other	MAS	Other	Other	Other
2.Disembarkation	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia	Libia
2.TransportType	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat
2.GroupedOperationName	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis
2.num_l_MigrantsDeterred	25				80		43
2.num_total_persons	0	30	27	25	0	101	0	22
2.num_would_be_mig	0	30	27	25	0	101	0	22
3.Operation name	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021
3.Interception date	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00	10/06/2021 0:00
3.Search and rescue involved	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
3.Operational area – In/Out	out	out	out	out		out	out	out
3.Detection latitude	33,35	32,9	32,9	32,9	33,7666666666	33,95	33,3833333333	33
3.Detection longitude	12,05	13,1833333333	13,1833333333	13,1666666666	11,8166666666	11,7833333333	14,4166666666	14,4666666666
3.Intercepted by (old)
3.Interception latitude	33,3666666666	32,9	32,9	32,9	33,8666666666	33,95	33	33
3.Interception longitude	12,0333333333	13,1666666666	13,1833333333	13,1666666666	11,85	11,7833333333	14,4666666666	14,4666666666
3.Detection by Frontex financed/deployed asset	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
3.Interception by Frontex financed/deployed asset	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
3.Frontex deployed/financed asset involved	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
3.Transport type	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat
4.GroupedOperationName	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis	Themis
4.OperationName	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021	JO Themis 2021
4.SAR	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
4.DetectionByFrxAsset	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
4.InterceptionByFrxAsset	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
4.OtherFrontexAssetInvolvement	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
4.ReferenceToOpArea	out	out	out	out		out	out	out
4.CountryOfDeparture	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya	Libya
4.TypeOfDetectedBy	Other	Other	Other	Other	MAS	Other	Other	Other
4.TypeOfInterceptedBy	No interception	No interception	No interception	No interception	CPV	No interception	CPV	No interception
4.TransportType	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	wooden boat	inflatable/rubber boat/zodiac boat/dinghy	wooden boat

The analysis of the JORA database draws attention to an operation (no. 627870) which started from a sighting by Frontex’s MAS (Multipurpose Aerial Surveillance). This data matches the flight paths, which registered Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 flying over that specific boat. Operation Themis wrote “DetectionByFrxAsset: Yes”, “FrontexInvolvement: Yes”.

The sighting and capture coordinates for boats no. 627859, 627862, 627855 are wrong because they correspond to the port of Tripoli. The capture place of boat no. 627889 seems wrong as well because it is further south than the sighting place and because it coincides with the sighting and capture place of boat no. 627894.

It is not possible to understand which Themis cases correspond to the captures operated by Ras El Jadir. However, adding up the number of people captured in the first 6 Themis operations (25, 30, 27, 25, 80, 101) the final number is exactly 288. Is it possible that the captures were 6 instead of 3?

Joint Operation Themis is a “synergy between the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the Italian Authorities with the support of the Member States of the European Union” (cit. Italian Ministry of Defence https://www.difesa.it/operazionimilitari/op-intern-corso/jointoperationtriton/index.html). It does not include the Libyans. It is, then, an exclusively European operation. In Europe, collective pushbacks of foreigners at the border are illegal, which is why all pushbacks managed by Operation Themis are considered illegal by human rights activists.

Chats between Operation Themis and the soldiers of Ras El Jadir

The German organisation Frag den Staat has found evidence regarding the direct communication via WhatsApp messages between Frontex and scLCG between 18 May and 14 June 2021. While copying the messages, most of the information was removed by Frontex, as the agency classified it as “sensitive operational data”. However, we can see an exchange of messages between Frontex and a number starting with +218, Libya’s country code. Considering the context, we can infer that the phone number belongs to a Libyan person, probably from scLCG. In various exchanges, on 18 May, 27 May, 11 June, 12 June and 14 June 2021, audios, photos, locations, sightings of boats or of possible danger situations were shared, from which we can infer that the two entities do collaborate for interceptions at sea. (Source: https://www.ecchr.eu/fileadmin/Redacted_Article_15_Communication_to_the_ICC__Situation_in_Libya_Interceptions_of_Migrants_and_Refugees_at_Sea_as_Crimes_Against_Humanity.pdf).

The chats can be viewed at these links:

On 12 June 2021 the patrol boat Ras El Jadir wrote to Operation Themis “Hi sir I’m duty today”. 

JL Project’s analysis The relationship between Operation Themis (Frontex + Italian government) and the soldiers on board the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 is clear: Operation Themis coordinates the pushbacks, discloses sensitive information to the Libyans (probably regarding boats to be captured), the Libyans follow the orders with respect and obeisance and they constantly update Operation Themis on their location. JL Project believes that, on 10 June 2021, Operation Themis might have exchanged further messages with Ras El Jadir and other Libyan patrol boats.

Timeline

Night between 9 and 10 June: at least 9 boats set sail from the Libyan coast.

10 June 2021

2 UTC: Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 took off from Malta for a mission in the Libyan SAR zone. The drone rapidly flew over the Maltese SAR zone.

3:25 UTC: Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 arrived in the Libyan SAR zone and started patrolling the area.

3:59 UTC: sunrise in Tripoli.

4:15 UTC: Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 flew in circle over a point with coordinates 33.683211, 13.630612. (Source: Sergio Scandura https://x.com/scandura/status/1402929208138076165 )

Unknown time: Operation Themis (Frontex + Italian government) was in WhatsApp contact with the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648, which used a Libyan phone number (+218) to send Frontex the following message:

The relationship between the Libyans and the soldiers of Operation Themis immediately stands out: the formers refer to the latter with reverence.

Between 06:06 and 06:12 UTC Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 flew over the place where Operation Themis reported the sighting of boat number 627881 with 101 people on board.

6:25 UTC: Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 flew in circle over a point with coordinates 33.749464, 11.870276. (Source: Scandura https://x.com/scandura/status/1402929208138076165 )

It is precisely the point where Themis reported the sighting of boat no. 627870 with 80 people on board.

Before 7:46 UTC the patrol boat Ras El Jadir captured at least one boat.

07:46 UTC: The aircraft Colibrì flew over and filmed one of the 3 captures operated by the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 at coordinates 33N27, 11E43.

The capture place is located on the route of Frontex’s drone AS2132.

In the video and photographic material produced by Colibrì we can see the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 approaching a blue wooden boat full of migrants.

On board Ras El Jadir there were already many people, meaning this was not the first capture, rather the second or the third one.

The boat was pulled stern-first and boarded.

Zooming in on the images, the number of the patrol boat is clear: 648.

The Libyans stole the two engines of the boat and set the hull on fire.

11:11 UTC: Frontex’s surveillance drone AS2132 flew in circle over a third point with coordinates 33.559707, 12.444215. (Source: Scandura https://x.com/scandura/status/1402929208138076165 )

It is the sighting point of the boat which would be then saved by Geo Barents

Shortly after the drone flew over those places where Operation Themis reported the sighting and capture of boat no. 627174.

Before 18:14 UTC (before sunset): the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 disembarked the 288 people captured at the port of Tripoli. The Libyans took some pictures (Source: https://x.com/rgowans/status/1403319484211998725).

18:14 UTC: sunset in Tripoli.

20:26 UTC: UNHCR tended to the victims deported by the patrol boats Ras El Jadir and Ubari, some of whom appear to be wounded. (Source https://x.com/UNHCRLibya/status/1403086260055465984).

Photographic material of the case

The photographic material of the case does includes:

2 videos by Colibrì deposited with the Foundation AAMOD, migrant archive, under the code ONG 213. At 7:46 UTC on 10 June 2021, the aircraft Colibrì flew over and filmed one of the captures operated by the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 at coordinates 33N27, 11E43. In the video and photographic material produced by Colibrì we can see the patrol boat Ras El Jadir 648 capturing a blue wooden boat full of migrants. Here are some screenshots:

The Twitter thread posted by Rgowans, the spokesperson of the Libyan militia, to this link https://x.com/rgowans/status/1403319484211998725

The thread comes with 3 pictures:

UNHCR Libya’s post on Twitter posted at 20:26 UTC to this link https://x.com/UNHCRLibya/status/1403086260055465984 

The post contains 4 pictures, but it is not possible to distinguish those related to the disembarkation of Ras El Jadir from those related to the disembarkation of the patrol boat Ubari 660 (a parallel case, registered in our database as 10.06.2021 C).

Flight paths registered by Sergio Scandura

The journalist Sergio Scandura traced the route of the drone AS2132 in detail and he shared it in a Twitter thread (link https://x.com/scandura/status/1402929208138076165 )

Today in area 🔢
2021-06-10
0859z ⏱️ 10:59 CEST

SAR busy

🛩️ Frontex drone 🇪🇺 #AS2132 (571) IAI/Airbus UAV Heron Shoval, #Malta #LMML based, is making a mission over Libyan SRR.

0625z > 0639z 🔄orbiting📏 42 nm N Abu Kammash (33 47N 011 47E)#migrants #Libya #migranti #Libia pic.twitter.com/gz6gthahlX

— Sergio Scandura (@scandura) June 10, 2021

1⃣_C

2021-06-10
1559z ⏱️ 17:59 CEST

🛩️ Frontex drone 🇪🇺 #AS2132 (571) IAI/Airbus UAV Heron Shoval, departed @ 04:08 CEST, is landed in Malta/Luqa 🇲🇹 @ 15:59 CEST: mission over Libyan SRR completed (13h 51m).#migrants #Libya #migranti #Libia pic.twitter.com/lBcDDWdOty

— Sergio Scandura (@scandura) June 10, 2021

1⃣_B
2021-06-10
1258z ⏱️ 14:58 CEST

SAR busy/2

🛩️ Frontex drone 🇪🇺 #AS2132 (571) IAI/Airbus UAV Heron Shoval, #Malta #LMML based, over Libyan SRR.

1111z > 1223z 🔄orbiting📏 46 nm N Sabrata (33 34N 012 27E)#migrants #Libya #migranti #Libia pic.twitter.com/p4yDTU8Rqx

— Sergio Scandura (@scandura) June 10, 2021

Investigation status

Preliminary investigations concluded.

For a better reconstruction of the case, it would be necessary to access Frontex’s documents and records, which hold information on the contacts between Operation Themis and the Libyan soldiers as well as any possible pictures taken by the drone AS2132.

JL Project has not tracked down the victims yet.