A pushback by merchant vessel to Libya against the wishes of captain and crew
On 10 March 2026, Alarm Phone received reports of a boat carrying 38 people in distress while travelling from Tobruk in eastern Libya to Crete. The boat was located in the Egyptian search and rescue (SAR) zone, close to the border with the Greek SAR zone. Alarm Phone alerted both the Greek and Egyptian authorities. The network also contacted two nearby merchant vessels heading towards Europe, but without success. Instead, JRCC Cairo instructed another merchant vessel, the NEXUS, to search for and rescue the people in distress.
The captain of the NEXUS responded immediately, located the boat, and brought the people safely on board. However, the rescue took place just across the SAR border, inside the Libyan SAR zone. JRCC Cairo therefore, ordered the captain to disembark the rescued people in Libya.
The captain knew that Libya is not a safe place (a fact confirmed by several court rulings) and refused to take the rescued people there. He requested permission from the Greek authorities, specifically the Hellenic Coast Guard, to disembark them in Crete, the nearest safe port. The Hellenic Coast Guard reportedly threatened to arrest the crew if they entered Greece. Nevertheless, the captain insisted that he would not return the people to Libya, a country they had fled at great risk in search of safety in Europe.
Despite Alarm Phone’s efforts to support the captain through legal advice and calls to the Maltese and Italian rescue coordination centres, as well as to the NEXUS company, the return could not be prevented. Ultimately, SUPER BARU, the company operating the NEXUS, took over communication with the Libyan authorities and appears to have pressured the captain into complying with the order to return to Libya. Under immense pressure from the company and faced with inaction from all RCCs involved, the rescued people were disembarked in Tobruk on 12 March and immediately transferred to a detention centre, where they face torture and extortion. Alarm Phone fears for their lives and safety.
This violent and unlawful pushback is the direct result of the EU policies of deterrence. Responsibility lies not only with political leaders, but also with coastguards and shipping companies that enable such practices. Alarm Phone’s thoughts are with the survivors and their families. The network also thanks the captain and crew of the NEXUS for their efforts to bring the rescued people to a place of safety.
Picture: Alarm Phone shift
Timeline (all times in CET)
March 10
20:12 Alarm Phone (AP) alerts via email to Greek and Egyptian authorities and two merchant vessels about a boat in distress, carrying 35 people (it later became clear that there were 38 people on board) near the Greek SAR border in Egyptian SAR.
21:12 JRCC Cairo reacts to the alert and sends an email to the merchant vessel NEXUS and to Alarm Phone, referring to the distress case, requesting NEXUS to assess the situation and provide assistance to the people in distress.
21:40 The captain of the NEXUS confirms via email that they will begin the rescue.
21:45 JRCC Cairo responded to both the captain and Alarm Phone, thanking the NEXUS for its efforts in contributing to safety at sea.
23:30 Alarm Phone tweets:
March 11
07:33 AP tweets again:
07:59 A member of the SAR NGO community involved in the case was threatened by phone by representatives of the company operating the NEXUS. The company’s management was reportedly putting pressure on the captain to return the rescued people to Libya.
14:47 The crew of the NEXUS contacted Alarm Phone for advice, explaining that the company was refusing to support their decision not to bring the rescued people to Libya. The crew reported being placed under significant pressure and feared losing their jobs.
17:38 The NEXUS received instructions from all surrounding RCCs to coordinate with Libya. Italy, Greece, and Egypt were all avoiding responsibility for providing a place of safety.
18:27 The company operating the NEXUS coordinated directly with the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, which was reportedly on its way to the vessel.
20:09 Alarm Phone contacted JRCC Piraeus. The duty officer stated that the Greek authorities could not allow the rescued people to disembark in Crete because the distress case had not occurred within the Greek SAR zone and therefore fell under the responsibility of JRCC Cairo.
21:17 Alarm Phone attempted to re-establish contact with the rescued people on board the NEXUS, but without success.
March 12
08:45 AP tweets again, as NEXUS is going towards Libya.
14:15 The NEXUS was observed off the coast of Tobruk on VesselFinder, a public ship-tracking platform that provides real-time vessel positions based on AIS (Automatic Identification System) data. Its location suggested that the vessel may have been waiting for a so-called Libyan Coast Guard boat to take custody of the rescued people.
20:00 The NEXUS changed course and turned north, indicating that the transfer of the rescued people had likely been completed.
AlarmPhone Central Med group
