could he intervene in Crotone? What powers does it have? – Corriere.it

In the rebound of responsibility that is characterizing the massacre of migrants in Crotone, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has once again called into question Frontex, the European agency dedicated to external border control, which would not report emergency situations regarding the boat that later crashed on the coast of Calabria. But Frontex, according to its institutional tasks, could or should have launched Sos regarding situations concerning the safety of navigation?

* How Frontex acted in Crotone – At 10.26 pm on Saturday 25 February a Super King Air aircraft supplied by Frontex sighted a gulet sailing in the Ionian Sea: the Summer Love which departed from Smyrna and a few hours after being shipwrecked in Steccato di Cutro. Thermal imaging cameras indicate that there are many people on board. The Frontex spokeswoman says that as always in such cases, we have immediately informed the other Italian authorities competent, providing the vessel’s position, course and speed. However, it does not signal a situation of distress, i.e. difficulty of the boat. This assessment, according to the agency, belonged to Italy. The aircraft then returned to base as it was running out of fuel.

* What are the tasks of Frontex – According to what can be read on the agency’s website, founded in 2004 by EU countriesthe institutional task is to assist EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries in the border protection outside the EU’s area of ​​free movement. In 2016 – we still read – the Agency was expanded and strengthened: its role has been extended from migration control to border management and has been given increased responsibilities in the fight against cross-border crime. The goal is to better understand what is happening and establish an early warning mechanism. So essential police tasks in defense of the EU fortress. For these tasks, the Frontex budget increased from 6.3 million in 2005 to 333 in 2019; has available a force of 1,500 men.

* Who is responsible for rescue at sea – The 1979 Hamburg Convention has divided the Mediterranean into so-called Sar zones (Search and rescue): within each of these marine dials rescue operations are the responsibility of the state to which that zone Sar is assigned. Therefore the responsibility would fall on the national authorities. But the treaty itself is based on a principle of international cooperation; and the Unclos treaty of 1982 – always concerning the safety of navigation – reiterates the obligation to render assistance. A sort of moral and juridical duty to safeguard the life of those who travel by sea.

* Can Frontex participate in relief efforts? The answer can still be found on the agency’s institutional website: In accordance with international law, search and rescue operations are always coordinated by national rescue centres…whenever a Frontex aircraft encounters a vessel in distress, it immediately alerts all nearby RCCs: Italy, Malta and Tunisia to potentially speed up the relief operation and improve coordination. Commercial ships and NGOs do the same. Frontex shares the location of the vessel, its condition, the estimated number of people on board, any navigation and communication equipment, as well as the weather and sea conditions in the area.

* Definitely – Frontex has as its institutional task the surveillance at the external borders of the EU and the fight against illegal immigration and human trafficking. But it has a constant exchange of information with the national authorities even in the case of boats in danger. By law, however, navigation safety within each Sar area entrusted to individual states who must supervise, coordinate and trigger the rescue operations.