Migrants ‘feared for their lives’ as Libyan gunmen fired on rescue ship
Summary
Armed men on a Libyan coastguard boat fired shots at a German rescue ship carrying migrants in international waters off Libya. The rescue crew and migrants feared for their lives as the Libyan coastguard tried to force the rescue ship to return to Libya.Key Facts
- Shots were fired on May 11 at 11 a.m. by Libyan coastguard gunmen near Libya’s coast.
- The German-flagged rescue ship Sea-Watch 5 had about 30 crew members from several countries and 90 rescued migrants on board.
- The attackers fired 10 to 15 shots without warning and tried to seize the rescue ship to take it back to Libya.
- The only Arabic speaker on board, lawyer Yasmin Ibrahim Elzanaty, tried to negotiate with the attackers, but they threatened to board the ship.
- This attack is part of ongoing violence by Libyan coastguards against NGO rescue ships in the Mediterranean.
- Several Libyan coastguard boats used in such incidents were donated by Italy through a European Union program.
- The EU said it will continue supporting Libya despite the attack, saying their cooperation has prevented further violence.
- Italian authorities opened an investigation into the Sea-Watch 5 captain for allegedly aiding illegal migration, which the NGO called an attempt to block rescue efforts.
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