A non-governmental organization that conducts search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean has accused the Libyan coastguard of obstructing their efforts to rescue over 170 individuals attempting to cross the dangerous sea to reach Europe.
According to a statement from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), their vessel provided assistance to two boats on Saturday while in international waters. One boat was a small fibreglass vessel with 28 individuals, and the other was a two-level wooden vessel with 143 individuals onboard. Both boats seemed to be in a state of distress.
The organization reported that while it neared the bigger vessel, the Libyan coastguard (LCG) also drew close and executed risky maneuvers that endangered the passengers onboard, who were primarily Syrian refugees.
A patrol vessel, captured on video by crew members of a support aircraft from the maritime rescue organization Sea-Watch, has placed itself between two MSF-operated rigid dinghies. The first dinghy has begun taking people onboard, but the positioning of the patrol vessel blocks the second dinghy from reaching the distressed vessel.
In a recently shared video on X, a representative from MSF stated that the Libyan patrol ship began engaging in hazardous maneuvers, obstructing the rigid inflatable boats (RIBs).
Display the image in full screen mode.
In the video from the aircraft, a man can be heard saying: “They are attempting to intimidate the second RIB.” A woman’s voice can also be heard on the plane, stating: “What they are doing is extremely dangerous.”
Juan Matías Gil, the head of the MSF’s search and rescue mission in Rome, said the Libyan coastguard had attempted to tow away one of the dinghies. “We were never going to allow this. We [the ship Geo Barents] are running under the Norwegian flag so the boat is Norwegian territory in international water. We don’t know where we would have ended up if they had managed to board our boat,” he said.
According to MSF, despite speaking in English and Arabic, the interference with their mission lasted for approximately two hours. This is despite the fact that the Libyan coastguard is obligated by international law to rescue those in distress. It was only after negotiating and contacting the Norwegian, Italian, and Libyan authorities that they were able to leave, but not before making additional threats. Gil reported on this experience.
According to Gil, the individuals on the ships were primarily from Syria and consisted of several children below the age of 13 and unaccompanied minors.
After reports from survivors indicated that around 60 individuals had lost their lives in the Mediterranean last week while departing from Zawiya on the Libyan coast, an incident occurred. The group of 25 survivors stated that their dinghy’s engine malfunctioned after three days, causing them to drift for several days before being saved by another humanitarian organization, SOS Méditerranée.
The better weather conditions have resulted in a rise of individuals being secretly transported over the Mediterranean Sea in unseaworthy boats.
On Saturday, after receiving help from the Libyan maritime rescue coordination center and Italian authorities, MSF was able to rescue 75 individuals from a crowded fiberglass boat that had flipped over. Out of those rescued, 45 had fallen into the sea.
The most recent report from Frontex, the border agency of the EU, shows that 4,315 individuals have traveled from North Africa to the EU via the Mediterranean during the months of January and February. It is anticipated that there will be a rise in this number in the upcoming weeks.
According to the International Organization for Migration, the Mediterranean remains the riskiest path for migrants and refugees. In 2023 alone, there were over 3,000 reported deaths and disappearances, with an additional 300 already recorded this year.
The European Union offers financial assistance to the Libyan coastguard for the purpose of training and providing vessels. It stated that all parties involved had followed international laws.
A representative from the European Commission stated that they do not have the ability to regulate individual actions. They emphasized that search and rescue is an international responsibility for all and is clearly outlined in international maritime law. Any actions that endanger lives must be avoided at all costs.
Officials from Libya in Brussels have been reached out to for their statement.
Source: theguardian.com
