Sea rescuers: Ship under fire for 20 minutes
SOS Mediterranee accuses the Libyan coastguard of having attacked its rescue ship last sunday. Emergency calls to the Italian coastguard have not been answered, the crew reports.
The humanitarian organisation SOS MEDITERRANEE reported an attack by the Libyan coastguard on its rescue ship “Ocean Viking” in international waters last Sunday afternoon. The vessel was 40 nautical miles north of the Libyan coast when a patrol boat approached and opened fire for about 20 minutes before retreating. No casualties were reported.
The crew had just rescued 87 refugees and was en route to respond to another maritime emergency with permission from Italian authorities, according to the NGO’s press release from Monday. Upon arrival, the Libyan patrol contacted the "Ocean Viking", demanded it move further north, and then opened fire without warning. A crew member, who was onboard during the attack, stated: „As they circled us, they fired both single shots and volleys at the ship and our lifeboats.”
"A serious escalation"
In the past, the Libyan coastguard repeatedly disregarded international maritime law as well as threatened rescue missions, as the NGO states. “But they have never fired at one of our ships before. This marks a serious escalation,” said Julia Leithäuser, Advocacy and Communication Manager at SOS MEDITERRANEE Germany. Accordingly, it was the first time the crew and equipment onboard being deliberately targeted.
The NGO released footage reportedly showing the attack and damage done to the vessel. Several media outlets like German broadcaster Tagesschau reported that a spokesperson for the Libyan coastguard denied the allegations, claiming that only “warning shots” were fired.
Emergency calls to Italian authorities went largely unanswered, the NGO stated. Eventually, the "Ocean Viking" was granted permission to dock in Augusta, Italy, where the refugees disembarked, according to Leithäuser. However, the crew was placed in quarantine after one of the refugees reportedly tested positive for tuberculosis. Neither the Italian coastguard nor the authorities in Augusta responded to requests for comment.
In light of this escalation, SOS Mediterranee is urging the EU to end all cooperation with and funding of Libyan forces. It has initiated legal action and is calling for an independent investigation into the incident.
