Salvamento Marítimo, the Maritime Safety and Rescue Agency, has denied applying any form of discrimination in its rescue operations.
The agency has responded to the association for the Guardia Civil saying that the coordination centre (and not the personnel) applies an "unequal and potentially discriminatory criterion that in many cases borders on racism". The association accused the agency of discriminating between tourists, who are assisted quickly, and migrants who are subject to "inhumane waiting".
The agency has rejected the accusations and stated that it does not make "any type of distinction or discrimination in the conduct of rescue operations". If it were to, this would be a violation of the duty to provide assistance as defined by current legislation.
The Guardia Civil's association has cited two recent examples of what it maintains pointed to prioritisation of tourists. On Monday at around 4.30pm, a boat carrying 14 migrants landed in Cabrera. Despite their arrival having been confirmed by the SIVE vigilance system and calls to the 112 emergency line by migrants themselves, Maritime Safety did not respond until 11.30pm.
This situation contrasts with what happened last week when a call from a sailboat off Cabrera prompted the "rapid intervention" of the agency's helicopter without even informing officers deployed in the area.
The agency explains that its missions are the protection of human life at sea, the prevention of and fight against marine pollution, and the control of maritime traffic, but not actions related to people or vessels on land or the transfer of people from land to land. On Monday there was a request for assistance in transporting 14 migrants from Cabrera to Palma. This was accepted and carried out when there was "operational availability".
The agency adds that is has a "close and excellent" cooperative relationship with the Guardia Civil within the scope of their respective responsibilities.