A Libyan coast guard boat collided with a dingy carrying approximately 50 migrants just off Libya’s coast, causing the dingy to partially sink. This incident resulted in many migrants being thrown into the Mediterranean Sea, where they had to swim to reach another Libyan ship nearby for safety. It is the latest incident involving the Libyan coast guard intercepting migrants at sea, with concerns raised about their handling of such situations.
The Libyan coast guard, trained and financed by the European Union, plays a role in efforts to curb the flow of migrants attempting to reach Europe. Libya has become a significant transit point for migrants seeking a better life in Europe in recent years. A video released by the German sea rescue group Sea-Watch appeared to capture the moment when the Libyan coast guard boat approached the dingy, leading to migrants falling into the water. The Libyan coast guard later transferred the migrants to another ship, a coast guard frigate. There were no immediate reports of fatalities or missing individuals in this incident.
The incident involving the Libyan coast guard and a rubber dingy carrying migrants occurred after the coast guard had been chasing the dingy since early Friday morning, according to Sea-Watch, a German sea rescue group. Sea-Watch rescuers aboard their twin-engine Seabird had repeatedly called on the Libyan coast guard to cease their pursuit of the dingy. The Sea-Watch video footage showed migrants who were thrown into the sea swimming towards a nearby frigate, where sailors threw buoyancy vests to assist them. Those who remained on the sinking dingy were also pulled towards the frigate and taken on board.
This incident took place approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Libya’s western city of Zuwara. A civilian rescue ship named Louise Michel arrived at the scene shortly afterward and offered to take the migrants, but the coast guard denied their request.
The European Union has been funding the Libyan coast guard since 2015 as part of efforts to prevent the flow of migrants from Libya to Italian shores. However, the Libyan coast guard’s actions during such interceptions have raised concerns, including allegations of threats and violence towards rescue operations.
The situation in Libya remains unstable, with human traffickers taking advantage of the chaos to smuggle migrants across the country’s borders and transport them to the coast, where they embark on perilous sea journeys. Additionally, some rescue groups have reported difficulties operating in the Mediterranean due to policies of the Italian government, which they claim limit their ability to save lives.