A German non-profit organization, SOS Humanity, has alleged that the Libyan coast guard interfered with a migrant rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea, engaging in actions that led to at least one migrant’s death.
The incident, which involved the shooting of live ammunition into the water and acts of violence, took place during an operation by the charity’s ship, Humanity 1, aiming to rescue migrants.
SOS Humanity managed to rescue 77 individuals, later safely disembarking them in Bari, Italy, as assigned by Italian authorities.
The operation highlighted ongoing tensions in the Mediterranean, where migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East frequently embark on perilous journeys towards Europe, with Libya being a primary departure point since it descended into disorder following the 2011 fall of Moammar Gadhafi.
The European Union has financially supported the Libyan coast guard since 2015 to control migrant departures towards Italy.
This collaboration involves the interception and return of migrants to Libya, a practice criticized for putting returnees at risk of abuse.
SOS Humanity condemned the coast guard’s actions as a severe breach of international law, emphasizing the danger posed to both the rescue crew and the migrants in need of aid.
The incident adds to a series of confrontations involving the Libyan coast guard, migrant rescue NGOs, and the challenges of addressing the Mediterranean migrant crisis within the framework of international law and human rights.
