Mediterranean people-smuggling disaster: a survivor’s story

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/01/mediterranean-people-smuggling-disaster-survivor-story

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The reason I tried to leave Gaza is due to lack of finances, work and the war. I travelled with some relatives, the son of my uncle Mohamed Garuxa, 24, the son of my sister, Munir Garuxa, five years old, and my brother Ami Doghmosh, 24 years old. We were approximately 300 people on a small vessel. The son of my sister died in my hands and I do not know what happened to the rest.

The husband of my sister, Mahmud El Garuxa, lives in Belgium. When I arrived in Europe, I wanted to live a normal life, learn a trade and try to find a job, then bring all my family to Europe.

With regards to my journey; a certain person, known as Abu Xaraf, helped us get out of Gaza. I paid him $4,000 (£2,500). This person is not a person of my family. Many people know of this person and the fact that he does this work. I got his mobile number and called him. He sent a person known as Abu Firas. He told me that the route is simple. I gave him my passport and the money.

I met Abu Firas in the village of Khan Yunis which is close to Gaza. I met him around two weeks ago. I left Gaza at night time in a vehicle which was sent by by Abu Xaraf. Together with my brother, my uncle’s son and the son of my sister we got into the car and we spent a day and a half travelling. We then arrived in a place in Egypt – I am unable to say where. It was close to the sea. We then boarded a vessel together with other people.

Initially we saw two small vessels which were boarding people and taking them to a larger vessel. This always took place at night. The smugglers would take around 20-30 people. In total there were around 300 people. After around a day and a half, a vessel arrived, which was much smaller than the original big vessel and we were told to board this vessel.

We had been out at sea for approximately three to four days when a fishing boat approached and told us to stop. They also threw a metal object at our captain and this same boat then came close to the side of our vessel and hit our boat. As a result, our vessel capsized and this fishing vessel kept on circling us and laughing.

I think this boat was from Egypt. The boat also had a number, 109, and there were approximately 10 persons aboard this vessel and from their accent we could tell that they were Egyptians from the town of Damietta. This was confirmed by our captain, who, before he died told us that these people were from that town because of their accent.

Within a few seconds, our vessel sunk and the other fishing vessel left. We were out at sea for approximately four to five days and the people who were on board started to die.

In these days, no other vessel could be seen out at sea but on the last day, a French vessel passed by us and when they spotted us they approached us and took us on board. When we were aboard the French vessel (Antarctica), a helicopter came and brought us medicine and we were physically checked. They then left and came back for us and brought us here. We were the only three people saved at sea. We spent two days on the French vessel.

When asked as to why the other fishing vessel overturned the vessel we were on, I can say that at one point it seemed as though our captain got into an argument with the people on the other fishing vessel due to the fact that the captain did not accept that all the people present on the vessel would fit in the second vessel since this was visibly smaller.

At one point our captain made a call and the person on the line stated that if the captain does not follow the order, his family will be attacked. The captain calmed us down and told us that we were going to remain on the vessel and the other vessel left. We proceeded with our journey. The incident then took place two to three hours after.

Maamon Dogmoush was speaking to an interviewer from the International Organisation for Migration in the Safi detention centre, Malta