Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-002408/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Özlem Demirel (The Left)
On 5 June 2025, the Gaza-bound aid vessel ‘Madleen’ received a distress signal via a Frontex drone. It provided a location update for a boat with 30-40 people on board. The ‘Madleen’ contacted Greek authorities and, as the boat was in Egypt’s search-and-rescue zone, Egyptian authorities too. The crew launched a rescue boat. Another vessel approached; it was initially assumed to be Egyptian, but turned out to be a Libyan coastguard vessel. It took the people on board, apparently against their will. Four of them jumped into the sea out of fear; they were rescued by the ‘Madleen’, with Frontex subsequently taking charge of them.
- 1.When and by what means (aircraft, drones, satellite reconnaissance) did Frontex observe and/or contact the ‘Madleen’ or the vessel ‘Conscious’, which had been on a similar mission?
- 2.What facts are known to Frontex about the maritime emergency on 5 June 2025 (position and time, actor making the sighting, distress signals sent and received, maritime emergency coordination centres that were competent and took action, vessels in the vicinity, order given to the ‘Madleen’ to carry out the rescue)?
- 3.Who directed Frontex to take charge of the rescued persons from the ‘Madleen’, and to hand them over to another centre, and where are those persons and the people taken on board by the Libyan coastguard vessel ‘Tareq Bin Zayed’ now?
Submitted: 16.6.2025