(…sen den dramatiska natten ute på havet…this blogpost is mostly in English)
Foto: Susan Smillie
UTE PÅ HAVET, Position: N 40´21,46 E 22´50,27
First some words in Swedish;
Det har i dagarna passerat ett år sedan den dramatiska natten då vi mötte en liten båt full med migranter ute på havet. Vi minns natten med blandade känslor, men mest glada är vi för att ingen dog där ute på havet samt att vi har underbara vänner i form av Susan på segelbåten ISEAN och Jon och Margriet på S/Y Goodvibes. Vi lägger här upp den text som Susan skrev på sin Facebook-sida när vi kommit fram till Balearerna och vi kunde pusta ut. Texten är på engelska, men vi tror de flesta av våra läsare kan läsa och förstå. Är du ny följare och nyfiken på att läsa mer om händelsen så klicka på länkarna längst ner på sidan, där kommer du åt några av de inlägg vi skrev i samband med händelsen
// Kapten Betong och Styrman Pimpsten
In English;
It has passed one year since the dramatic night when we met a small boat full of migrants out on the sea. We remember the night with mixed feelings, but we are most glad that no one died out on the sea and that we have wonderful friends in the form of Susan on the sailingboat ISEAN and Jon and Margriet on S / Y Goodvibes. You can read the post below what Susan wrote on her Facebook-page after arriving to the Balearic Islands. This is Susans words;
”The Mediterranean is an unforgiving sea. When there’s a storm or big waves that make me anxious in my seaworthy boat, I wonder for the thousands of refugees risking their lives in tiny dinghies. Crossing to the Balearics a boat of 11 panicked and screaming men pursued my friends on Wilma, crashing into her to board. One man got on, two fell into the sea. I was 5 miles away and when I got there those two men had been recovered into their dinghy. Wilma’s mayday also summoned a rescue boat but it took three hours and we all waited with them til the sun rose, Wilma circling the dinghy protectively to ensure they were okay. They’d been at sea for five days, over 100 miles from Algeria, they were sick and desperate, screaming to be taken on board. They made for me a couple of times, but the engine gave out before they reached me. In the swell, it felt risky – we knew they were safe if they stayed calm in their boat, we knew professional help was coming. But it didn’t feel good that they didn’t understand that, and they were losing trust. The air smelled heavily of petrol. It was dark and it was grim. It was alarming to see them smoke in a boat awash with fuel. After five days in a dinghy in big waves i guess I’d have lost all reason too. It was no small relief when the coastguard finally picked everyone up and we went on our way, tears and emotional farewells between Helena and Tjoppe and the guys. My friends handled this situation so well, keeping things calm, showing kindness, humanity, level headedness and courage. It sounds bad, but I’m glad the guys made for their navlight. Not sure many people – and I include myself – would have dealt with this situation so well and kept everyone safe. Love and respect” // Susan Smillie
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