“ […] under the International Convention on maritime search and rescue to which Libya is a state party, a rescue is only considered as completed once rescued people have been disembarked in a place of safety (As define in the Annex to the 1979 SAR Convention, paragraph 1.3.2 and in the International Maritime Organization 2004 Rescue Guidelines) It is within this framework that the European Commission and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees issued clear positions stating that currently Libya does not meet the criteria for being designated as a place of safety for the purpose of disembarkation following rescue at sea (https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b8d02314.html I understand that among the survivors on board there are people, including women and unaccompanied minors, who say that if returned to Libya, they would be in danger of being subjected to severe abuses. In light of this clear guidance and international law provisions, we are not in a position to head towards a Libyan port, which cannot be considered as a place of safety for rescued people.

I respectfully request that, as the JRCC coordinating, you please provide with the indication of a Place of Safety which fulfils all requirements […]”