Missing Siem Pilot crew member found 2015-09-17 A member of the crew of the Norwegian vessel Siem Pilot who had gone missing early Monday morning was found on Wednesday night.Benjamin Olafsson, 23, had disappeared in Catania, Sicily, where Siem Pilot is docked. After he was found, Olafsson was reunited with family members who flew to Sicily. He will travel with them back to Norway in the coming days.“I am glad Benjamin is safe and sound. Benjamin and the rest of the Siem Pilot crew have done an outstanding job helping to save thousands of ... Read more
5 900 people saved in dramatic rescue operations off Libyan coast 2016-10-24 Over the weekend, two vessels deployed by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, joined the Italian authorities and other vessels to jointly rescue some 5 900 migrants near the Libyan coast. Among the vessels deployed by Frontex was Norwegian Siem Pilot, which took aboard 1 099 persons rescued in several operations. This was the highest number of people ever carried by the Norwegian boat since it joined Frontex-coordinated Operation Triton in June 2015. The figure increased to 1 ... Read more
Frontex vessel rescues 487 migrants in Italy over the weekend 2015-09-28 Rescued migrants aboard Siem Pilot Frontex-deployed Norwegian vessel Siem Pilot helped rescue 487 of the 1200 people saved in the Central Mediterranean Sea over the weekend. 175 women and 15 children were among the migrants. The vessel will disembark in Reggio di Calabria tomorrow. Siem Pilot was involved in five different search and rescue operations over the last weekend. The vessel is deployed in Italy as part in the Frontex-coordinated Operation Triton. The migrants, most of them from ... Read more
Cultural mediator 2018-01-15 The migrants who arrive in Europe come from many different countries and have different social and educational backgrounds. Not all of them speak English, French, or other European languages. Cultural mediators work as translators within Frontex operations. They provide linguistic support to the local authorities and Frontex experts in order to improve debriefing and screening activities as well as increase the quality of information gathered.Meet Anass, a cultural mediator deployed to ... Read more
Update: ICGV Týr conducts search and rescue of 450 migrants 2015-01-03 At midnight the Icelandic coast guard vessel ICGV Týr, which is deployed in Frontex-coordinated joint operation Triton, brought the cargo vessel Ezadeen with 360 migrants on board to the southern Italian port of Corigliano Calabro. Although earlier estimates said there were 450 migrants on board the ship in fact carried 360 migrants. This completed a rescue operation coordinated by the Italian Guardia Costiera that lasted over 24 hours. The Syrian migrants on board Ezadeen, a 73-metre ... Read more
Screening expert 2018-01-15 Many people who cross Europe’s external borders irregularly arrive without any identification documents. Others claim false nationality in order to increase their chances of receiving a form of protection in the European Union.Screening experts play a key role in helping national authorities establish the nationality of incoming migrants. This information is used for the identification and registration process that takes place after the screening. Screening experts also identify persons in need ... Read more
Operation Themis (Italy) Operation Themis supports Italy with border control, surveillance and search and rescue in the Central Mediterranean. The joint operation began in February 2018 and replaced operation Triton, which was launched in 2014. Operation Themis have an enhanced law enforcement focus while continuing to include search and rescue as a crucial component. Its operational area spans the Central Mediterranean Sea from waters covering flows from Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Turkey and Albania. Officers... Read more
EURTF office in Catania inaugurated 2016-04-27 Today, Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri, together with the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, Italian Minister of Interior Angelino Alfano, Central Director for Immigration and Border Police Giovanni Pinto inaugurated the opening of the new premises of the European Regional Task Force (EURTF) in Catania, Sicily. The ceremony also included Director General of Public Security, Head of National Police Alessandro Pansa, Mayor of Catania Enzo ... Read more
23 000 migrants arrived in Greece last week 2015-09-01 Migrants rescued at sea arrive in Mitilini, Lesbos More than 23 000 migrants arrived in Greece by sea last week, nearly 50 percent more than in the previous week, according to preliminary data collected by Frontex. In the Frontex-coordinated Operation Triton in the Central Mediterranean, 5 400 were rescued last week, roughly in line with the previous one. There were also 55 bodies recovered in the seven-day period, mainly those from below the deck of a wooden boat intercepted by Swedish vessel ... Read more
13 800 migrants rescued in Central Med last week 2016-05-30 Some 13 800 migrants were rescued in the Central Mediterranean last week in nearly 90 search and rescue operations. All vessels and aircraft deployed by Frontex in the area took part in the operations, saving almost 5 000 lives. All the rescued migrants have been disembarked in Italy. Most of the migrants were rescued from rubber dinghies off the Libyan coast, although some of them were on board wooden boats and fishing vessels. These boats were in poor condition and filled well over their ... Read more