HRT Lesvos - Search and rescue mission for refugees

On Saturday, September 19 at 8:00 a.m., HRT Lesvos was alerted by the Mytilene Port Authority to assist in a search and rescue mission for refugees in Thermi area.

A diver, member of Lesvos ESA reached the area with a Coast Guard vessle to check spots of a sunk boat, with 26 immigrants aboard. 12 people had been rescued from the vessel, a body had been collected, while 13 more were missing in the sea.

After fruitless efforts to spot any missing persons and after communication with the Mytilene Central Port authorities, a six-member group consisting of five divers and a support person, sailed at 16:15 aboard a Coast Guard unit to launch marine research in the region emphasising on small island Venizelos. Besides the Coast Guard, the Veteran Commando Association of Lesvos were also searching in the same area.

The port authority interrupted the search at 21:00 that night and continued early next morning.

On Sunday, September 20^th, the research operation started at 09:00a.m. in two spots, with members of the HRT, in team of four free-divers, which ran along the coastal line from "Trunk" to "Pamfila" with the support of land hiking members of the Greek Rescue team. The hiking team covered the corresponding area of ??the coast, while the investigation was completed by sundown unfortunately without results. The area was also covered by Coast Guard vessels and the Coast Guard Navy Seals Unit.

During the SAR operation, the Coast Guard rescued and provided First Aid to two women which were in a state of shock with obvious signs of hypothermia and possible injuries. Most likely, the two women were aboard another wreck that took place at the same day.

Back on coast, a doctor in collaboration with the HRT, Lesvos Annex performed the primary assessment of the incidents and called ambulances to transfer them.

Around the same time on Sunday morning, the HRT, Lesvos Annex was informed of a second wreck in the Airport area.

At 09:00a.m. a team of two divers and a support person, boarded the Norwegian rescue vessel «Peter Henry Von Koss» of the Norwegian RS Organisation - Redningsselskapet - Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue and in collaboration with Norwegian colleagues performed SAR until 9:00pm. unfortunately without any result.

During the research, underwater wired cameras were set up and scanned the seabed, since the exact location of the wreck was unknown.

The Lesvos Annex of HRT would like to thank the Coast Guard crews, the Norwegian salvage «Peter Henry Von Koss» vessel, Mr. Varthi, the Harbour Master of Mytilene, the Veteran Commando Association of Lesbos, amateur fishermen, the member of the International Migration Organisation Zoe Livaditi and all those who helped in the Search and Rescue operation, for their excellent cooperation.