General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Synthetic, glass, unidentified liquid, wood and metal.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

25.0 cm

Width

25.0 cm

Height

16.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Marine Transportation

Category

Navigation instruments & equipment

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Zhanhui

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Libya

State/Province

Unknown

Period

September 19, 2015

Canada

Taken from curatorial worksheet (reference 1): One of 8 items obtained by Canadian Dr. Simon Bryant while on tour for Medecins Sans Frontier (MSF) on the M.Y. Phoenix (http://blogs.msf.org/en/staff/blogs/moving-stories/bringing-home-the-rescue-zone). In 2015 MSF Canada has been active in the migrant crisis on the Mediterranean. Dr. Simon Bryant was one of the doctors who did a tour in August 2015. I asked for Dr. Bryant to collect items that reflected the MSF experience and mission. On August 3rd 2015 at about 3 a.m.,103 adults and 15 children from fourteen countries embarked on a XX metre inflatable raft in Libya and proceeded north, propelled by an old 40-horsepower outboard engine and the need to escape from violence, poverty, and persecution in their countries of origin. They relied on this gimbaled marine compass, provided by the smugglers who organized their trip, to maintain a northerly bearing. After a distress call was received, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Rome instructed the search and rescue vessel Phoenix, a collaboration between MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) and MSF (Medecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders) to proceed to the assistance of these people. They were subsequently intercepted without incident at 10 a.m. about 20 nautical miles north of Zuwara, Libya, at latitude 33 24 north, and longitude 011 57 east. The accompanying photo of the inflatable raft and its occupants was taken on first approach from the fast RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) despatched from the Phoenix, just prior to lifejackets being provided to those in the raft. All aboard the raft were transferred by several shuttles of the RHIB to the Phoenix, where they received drinking water, food, dry clothing, and medical care as needed. Later the same day all those rescued were transferred to two Italian Coast Guard vessels, and taken to Italy. The Phoenix then returned to the search and rescue zone. “Looking at this compass, I can only wonder what it might feel like to steer by it towards the unknown under those circumstances, at great risk” -Simon Bryant-

Function

To align itself with the geographic meridian and provide a constant true north indication regarless of the rolling, pitching and yawing of the vessel it is on.

Technical

Unknown

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Print on compass rose "ZHANHUI FISHING - TACKLE/ 130".

Missing

Lid is missing.

Finish

Brass coloured synthetic frame, black and silver and white and black compass rose. Clear glass and liquid. Compass screwed to light coloured wooden box with metal hex screws.

Decoration

N/A