A European sea rescue non-governmental organization (NGO), the Louise Michel, claims that the Libyan Coast Guard fired shots in international waters of the central Mediterranean near one of its vessels.
The NGO denounced the incident, which occurred on Sunday, as an “illegal” use of force. The organization reported that the shots were fired approximately 200 to 300 meters from its ship after a Libyan patrol boat approached “at a dangerously close distance.”
The crew subsequently spotted an empty inflatable boat in the vicinity, which the organization labeled a “disturbing sign” potentially indicating a forced return (illegal pushback) of migrants to Libya.
The Louise Michel asserts that the patrol boat involved was handed over to the Libyan authorities in 2023 under a European Union-funded program, with Italian and European officials present at the ceremony.
The NGO maintains that this episode illustrates the “ongoing technical and operational support” provided by the EU and Italy to Libyan forces despite what it describes as “violent behavior and actions contrary to maritime law.” The organization accuses its European partners of offering “political cover” for operations where force is allegedly used “illegally” to obstruct migrant departures.
There was no immediate reaction from the Libyan Coast Guard or European authorities. The incident follows numerous warnings from humanitarian organizations regarding the severe risks faced by both migrants and rescue crews along the central Mediterranean—a route the International Organization for Migration (IOM) considers one of the world’s most perilous migratory paths.
MK/ak/ac/sf/lb/abj/APA