A German humanitarian organization has accused a Libyan militia of attempting to disrupt a maritime rescue operation in the central Mediterranean, during which 30 migrants were saved from drowning.
Sea-Watch, the Berlin-based NGO, reported that its SeaWatch5 vessel carried out a rescue mission on Thursday, saving dozens of people in distress at sea. However, the operation faced interference from what the group described as a “Libyan militia.”
“Today, with our #SeaWatch5, we intervened to rescue 30 people in danger. On site, a Libyan militia tried to intimidate us—unsuccessfully. The shipwrecked individuals are now safe on board with us,” Sea-Watch said in a post on social media.
The NGO emphasized that the rescued individuals were saved not only from drowning, but also from being pushed back to Libyan detention camps, which have been widely condemned for inhumane conditions.
Following the rescue, Sea-Watch5 was assigned the port of Marina di Carrara in northern Italy as the official disembarkation site—a decision the organization criticized sharply.
“A disembarkation point unnecessarily and inhumanely far away, which we will reach after three days of sailing. The Italian political farce continues,” the statement added, referring to what they call intentional delays and obstacles in the Italian government’s handling of migrant rescues.
European NGOs have frequently raised concerns about the increasing collaboration between EU states and Libyan authorities, as well as the criminalization of search and rescue operations. Libya remains a major departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe, many of whom risk their lives in unseaworthy boats.
