VHF calls for migrants

[mikedefieslife]

I'm headed through migrant territory again this summer. I'm sure I had a plan last year but can't for the life of me remember what it was.

Anyhow, it seem the migrant boats are out in force again.

Between Malta and Italy if you see a migrant boat presumably it's a VHF call to the Italian coastguard if in range and a securite, but what is their exact callsign?

Previously in Italy I have had exactly zero responses when calling VTS, Harbour masters, and the coast guard. Unless you use their exact callsign in a way they understand it seems they just ignore it. A mobile phone has served me better.

If a migrant ship is in distress, and has people in the water you'd expect a mayday call from them so you could do a mayday relay perhaps. If however they haven't made a call but are clearly in distress what is call then?

p.s have searched but little comes up on it.

[De.windhoos]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

I'm headed through migrant territory again this summer. I'm sure I had a plan last year but can't for the life of me remember what it was.

Anyhow, it seem the migrant boats are out in force again.

Between Malta and Italy if you see a migrant boat presumably it's a VHF call to the Italian coastguard if in range and a securite, but what is their exact callsign?

Previously in Italy I have had exactly zero responses when calling VTS, Harbour masters, and the coast guard. Unless you use their exact callsign in a way they understand it seems they just ignore it. A mobile phone has served me better.

If a migrant ship is in distress, and has people in the water you'd expect a mayday call from them so you could do a mayday relay perhaps. If however they haven't made a call but are clearly in distress what is call then?

p.s have searched but little comes up on it.

Most refugee boats don't have VHF, so its up to you to do a mayday or Panpan. Italy is now a problem with their new government. They made it their policy not to accept refugees. (big news item this week, NGO ship that had picked up 600 refugees was denied entrance in Italy and Malta)
I would just do a general mayday/panpan, check if there are any frontex vessels or NGO vessels around.

[Fr Mo]

The Italians have a system which for us foreigners, and probably for cruising Italians once they leave their own homeport as well, is nearly undecipherable and almost unknowable without specialized sources.

Depending on where at sea you are, your local Coast Guard jurisdiction may fall under a

• Direzione (i.e., a Department); or,
• Compartamento (i.e., a sub-Department); or,
• Circondale (i.e., a District); or
• Locale (i.e., a local area); or even a
• Delegazione (i.e., a specific point such as a harbour authority)

So, as you sail around Italy, you will hear fishermen, ferries and others call offices of various ranks, such as, for example:

• DIREZIOMARE (direzione) such and such (i.e., DIREZIOMARE Ancona)
• COMPAMARE (compartamento) (i.e., COMPAMARE La Spezia)
• CIRCOMARE (circondale) (i.e., CIRCOMARE Ischia)
• LOCAMARE (locale) (i.e., LOCAMARE Pisa)
• DELEMARE (delegazione) (i.e., DELEMARE Otranto)

In theory, you could also hear a call to the head of all offices — "COMGENCAPOR Roma," the chief office that sits at the very top of the pyramid, but I've never heard it. The head office probably does not deal with mere mortals and instead requires you to have the courtesy of calling some subordinate office if you are about to depart your mortal coil.

But the issue is that you never know what the particular piece of the sea you are on belongs to what hierarchical office.

So if I ever had to call the Coast Guard, I would just call:

Guardia Costiera, Guardia Costiera, Guardia Costiera. Who knows, I might even get lucky.

By the way, the emergency phone for all things in Italian seas is

1530

If you call from an Italian telephone, the system will connect you 24/7 to the appropriate Direzio-, Compa-, Circo-, Loca- or Dele-MARE.

I have never called from a foreign number, but perhaps someone should try and see what happens if you call + 39 1530. In theory, it should connect you to the Rome office, but who knows.

Can you call "+1 911" from a non-U.S. phone? Does the call go thru? Who picks up the phone? Funny, if it works at all, they may answer the phone in Canada, which has the same international prefix "+1" and which for some reason uses the same number "911".

Anyway, best of luck,