A migrant rescue ship operated by the German NGO Sea-Watch has reportedly come under gunfire from armed men linked to the Libyan coastguard while carrying rescued migrants in international waters off the Libyan coast.
According to witnesses on board, gunmen fired multiple shots near the vessel, Sea-Watch 5, shortly after it rescued dozens of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Crew members said the armed men also tried to force the ship back towards Libya.
The incident reportedly left passengers and rescue workers terrified, especially migrants who had just escaped dangerous conditions in Libya. Humanitarian workers said the attackers threatened to board the vessel after the crew refused orders to return to Tripoli.
Sea-Watch described the shooting as another serious escalation in repeated confrontations involving Libyan coastguard units and migrant rescue ships operating in the Mediterranean.
The rescue vessel later issued a distress signal and contacted European authorities for assistance. No injuries were reported during the incident.
The confrontation comes amid growing criticism of European Union support for Libyan migration enforcement operations. Rights groups have accused some Libyan coastguard units of using violence against migrants and humanitarian rescue teams.
Meanwhile, Italian authorities have opened an investigation into the ship’s captain on allegations linked to facilitating illegal migration, a move condemned by activists who say it could hinder rescue efforts in the Mediterranean.
More than 34,000 migrants and refugees have reportedly died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean since 2014.
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