Strasbourg, 24.04.2012 – A failure to react to distress calls and a “vacuum
of responsibility” for search and rescue are among a “catalogue of failures”
which led to the deaths of 63 people fleeing the conflict in Libya by sea during
a tragic 15-day voyage in March 2011, according to the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe (PACE).
Backing a report by Tineke Strik (Netherlands, SOC), the Assembly said in a resolution that search and rescue authorities, NATO, the flag states of naval vessels in the area, the Libyan authorities and reckless smugglers were among those who shared responsibility. NATO in particular “failed to react to distress calls” in a military zone under its control, the parliamentarians said.
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Backing a report by Tineke Strik (Netherlands, SOC), the Assembly said in a resolution that search and rescue authorities, NATO, the flag states of naval vessels in the area, the Libyan authorities and reckless smugglers were among those who shared responsibility. NATO in particular “failed to react to distress calls” in a military zone under its control, the parliamentarians said.
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