The Libyan Coast Guard opened fire on an NGO migrant rescue mission from a European Union-donated boat, according to reports.
Footage apparently taken by the NGO SOS Mediterranée, a European maritime-humanitarian group dedicated to saving lives at sea, shows two of its small rescue speedboats being shot at by the Libyan vessel as it swerved at high speed across their paths.
European Commission representatives, put on the spot over the incident at a press briefing on July 10, were unable to provide concrete answers on the EU’s official stance or what response it might make.
The EU is now finding itself under pressure as it seeks to collaborate with Libya and other non-EU countries in restricting migration. However, emerging information about the actions off the Libyan coast seems to be raising uncomfortable questions over the bloc’s policy.
The incident took place in international waters on June 7, some 77 miles from the Mediterranean Libyan port city of Al-Khums. The Ocean Viking, the NGO’s mother ship, had been told by the Italian authorities to assess a mayday signal in the area. However, the Libyan Coast Guard ship followed and later, it is claimed, fired on the rescue vessels.
Libyan Coast Guard officials reportedly warned the NGO ship to leave, in Arabic, before relenting and permitting the Ocean Viking to proceed. However, the coast guards backtracked when the rescued migrants were being taken back by the NGO’s speedboats to the Ocean Viking, it is alleged.
On 07.07.23, #OceanViking rescued 11 people following a mayday relay. During the operation, @SOSMedIntl crew & 11 survivors faced a security incident with a Libyan patrol vessel shooting in close range of our fast rescue boats. Here the reconstruction of this unacceptable event👇 pic.twitter.com/EWzcz5Rvbn
— SOS MEDITERRANEE (@SOSMedIntl) July 9, 2023
Pictures of the Libyan vessel in the footage were studied by Italian journalist Sergio Scandura, who reported that the Corrubia-class patrol boats had been given to Libya by Italy on June 22.
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24 giugno: l'arrivo a Tripoli dei due 'nuovi' pattugliatori Corrubia-class ex GDF, consegnati dalla Marina Militare⚓️🇮🇹 a #Messina alla c.d. guardia costiera libica 🇱🇾.#Libia @RadioRadicale pic.twitter.com/nzFvy451lP
— Sergio Scandura (@scandura) July 9, 2023
Those vessels were handed to the North African country’s authorities as part of an EU scheme to allow them to improve surveillance at sea, search-and-rescue capabilities, and to help manage an ongoing mass-migration crisis.
However, it appears that the vessels are not being used in accordance with EU intentions.
Pressed on this failing of EU policy, a European Commission spokeswoman said that “we do not think disengaging [with Libya] will make things better”.
While being offered footage from a journalist on board on the Ocean Viking, the EC insisted that, for the moment, it was “not possible” to confirm if international law, or EU conditions had been violated. An EC spokesperson said it would enquire about the incident with the relevant Libyan and Italian authorities.
With many Member States angry over what they perceive as the EU’s ‘permissive open-borders approach’ to mass migration, the bloc is now having to take a harder line on preventing illegal arrivals, as its proposed Migration Pact illustrates.
With many migrants trafficked by human smugglers from the Libyan coast, the EU is trying to collaborate with Libyan authorities. That is made all the more difficult given the country is wracked by civil war, leaving it in a state of quasi-anarchy.
Speaking at a recent and acrimonious Committee meeting in the European Parliament, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said that EC officials had received information suggesting that the Libyan Coast Guard had been infiltrated by criminal organisations.
