SOS Méditerranée said Libya’s coast guard fired on its rescue ship Ocean Viking in international waters on Monday while it carried 87 migrants. The vessel was about 40 nautical miles north of Libya when a patrol boat demanded it leave, then opened fire without warning for roughly 20 minutes. No injuries were reported, but the ship sustained damage to antennas, windows and rescue boats.
The humanitarian group called for an investigation and urged the European Union, particularly Italy, to halt support for Libya’s coast guard. The attacking vessel was a Corrubia-class patrol boat donated by Italy last year. “We cannot accept an internationally recognized coast guard carrying out unlawful assaults,” said Soazic Dupuy, SOS Méditerranée’s director of operations.
