The German humanitarian organization Sea-Watch has accused Libyan coast guard-linked patrol boats of opening fire on its rescue vessel MV Sea-Watch 5 and threatening to seize the ship in international waters following a migrant rescue operation in the Central Mediterranean.
According to the NGO, the incident occurred on 11 May shortly after MV Sea-Watch 5 rescued around 90 migrants from an overcrowded wooden boat approximately 55 nautical miles north of Tripoli. Sea-Watch said an armed Libyan patrol boat approached the vessel and fired between 10 and 15 shots while ordering the crew to stop and proceed toward Libya.
The organization stated that armed personnel aboard the patrol craft also threatened to board the vessel and forcibly divert it to a Libyan port if the crew refused to comply. Sea-Watch reported that the crew immediately issued a mayday call and contacted Italian and German authorities while heading north away from the Libyan coast.
According to the NGO, two Libyan patrol boats continued to pursue the vessel for several hours before eventually turning back. MV Sea-Watch 5 later continued rescue operations and reportedly assisted an additional 64 people in distress.
Sea-Watch identified one of the patrol vessels as a Corrubia-class boat previously supplied to Libyan authorities by Italy.
Italian coast guard officials confirmed receiving reports about the incident and described it as a maritime security matter. The vessel was operating within the Libyan search-and-rescue region at the time of the encounter, according to Italian authorities.
The incident marks the latest escalation in long-running tensions between Libyan coast guard units and NGO-operated rescue ships operating along migrant routes between North Africa and southern Europe. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly accused Libyan forces of aggressive maneuvers, intimidation, and the use of force during rescue operations in international waters.
Sea-Watch stated that similar confrontations had previously occurred, including incidents involving gunfire directed at NGO vessels in recent years. The organization said it had already filed legal complaints in Italy and Germany over earlier encounters.
The Libyan coast guard, which receives support, training, and equipment through European-backed migration control programs, has long faced criticism from human rights groups over alleged abuses linked to migrant interception operations and detention practices in Libya.
The incident comes as European authorities continue efforts to curb irregular migration across the Central Mediterranean, one of the world’s busiest and deadliest migration corridors. According to the International Organization for Migration, thousands of people continue to die or disappear annually while attempting crossings from Libya and Tunisia toward Europe.
