On Tuesday, Operation IRINI inspected the Panamanian Merchant Vessel ‘MEDKON SINOP’ suspected of carrying arms to Libya.
The Panamanian vessel departed from Ambarli in Turkey, on 18 October, and was heading to the port city of Misrata. An IRINI team boarded the vessel in international waters, 135 nautical miles north of Benghazi. The team examined the documentation on board and inspected the cargo, on a random basis. They did not find anything suspicious, allowing the vessel to proceed on its way.
The procedure went smoothly, and the boarding took place in a collaborative atmosphere with both the captain and crew. All confirmed that COVID-19 precautions were observed during the boarding.
Operation IRINI is part of the EU’s commitment to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya. It is also supporting the Berlin process by helping to restore stability in Libya and bring peace to its population.