Stop for Seawatch aircraft, Enac stops it for 20 days

One of Sea-Watch's aircraft has been grounded by Enac for twenty days. The same NGO made this known, reporting that 'after last week our reconnaissance aircraft Seabird 2 documented yet another case of hit-and-run, costing the lives of two children and an adult, today Enac notified us of the administrative detention of another of our aircraft, Seabird 1, for twenty days'. The National Civil Aviation Authority, in the order, refers to violations that occurred on 30 June.

"We are curious to know more and to find out what, this time, is the pretext for keeping us away from those who need help. As usual,' Sea-Watch comments, 'those who commit human rights violations do not pay: those who denounce them pay'. However, the organisation assures that it is not stopping and will continue not only with the rescue operations but also with the monitoring of the situation with its aircraft: 'We are not discouraged. We are considering with our lawyers how to oppose this umpteenth, specious measure. We will already be flying again in the coming days with our other aircraft, to document what is happening in the central Mediterranean'.

For the German NGO, which relies on three small aircraft to monitor refugee crisis situations at sea, this is the first grounding of one of its aircraft. The Enac measure only refers to an episode that occurred on 30 June, without further details, as the volunteers themselves explain. In general, the flow decree establishes sanctions, up to and including administrative grounding, for private aircraft that do not 'immediately' report emergency situations at sea to Enac. This is why the NGO, which claims to make these reports always and punctually, is trying to get more detailed information on what Enac has decided and is considering filing an appeal with its lawyers.

Last year, the NGO's aircraft flew 151 missions for more than 845 hours. They managed to sight 221 boats laden with migrants in distress; around 11,000 people were on these boats. This work complements and supports the actual rescues carried out with the ships. The last sighting that the NGO had reported on social media was at the end of July: fourteen people had fallen into the water, twelve were promptly rescued and taken to the port of Lampedusa; among them were two infants. "This is the second shipwreck we have witnessed this week," Sea-Watch stressed earlier this month on social media. The aircraft are therefore now at risk of being grounded just like the ships. Only a few days ago, Sea-Watch again pointed out that the Court of Agrigento had suspended the administrative detention that had kept their fast ship Aurora stuck in port for 18 days.