Shooting at Migrant Rescue Ship Off Libya; Captain Investigated

On May 11, the German-flagged rescue vessel Sea-Watch 5 was operating in international waters off the coast of Libya when it was suddenly approached by a Libyan coast guard boat that opened fire. According to Yasmin Ibrahim Elzanaty, an Egyptian lawyer serving as a cultural mediator on board, the shots were fired 'right next to me,' causing panic among the 30 crew members and 90 migrants who had just been rescued.

Elzanaty recounted: 'People were trembling with fear. They had just escaped a terrible situation in Libya, and now they faced new danger.' As the only Arabic speaker on the ship, she directly negotiated with the attackers. 'They fired first, then started talking. There was no warning,' she said.

Sea-Watch confirmed the first shot was fired, followed by a volley of 10-15 more shots with no prior warning. After opening fire, the Libyan coast guard also attempted to seize the vessel and force it to return to Tripoli. When the crew refused, they threatened to board by force.

This is not an isolated incident. According to Sea-Watch, there have been three armed attacks on non-governmental rescue ships in the Mediterranean in the past 10 months. In September 2024, the Sea-Watch 5 was also shot at; in August 2024, the Ocean Viking, operated by SOS Mediterranee, came under fire for 20 minutes, with bullets hitting windows at head height.

Notably, the Libyan coast guard vessel involved in the attack is one of many boats funded by Italy as part of the EU's migration management program. Despite the outrage, the European Commission stated at a subsequent press conference that it would continue to support Libya, arguing that this cooperation 'has prevented even more attacks.'

Julia Winkler, a spokesperson for Sea-Watch, criticized the statement as 'absurd and cynical.' She said: 'We have repeatedly called on the European Commission to end funding. Search and rescue organizations have recorded 77 serious acts of violence by Libyan militias and coast guards at sea since 2016.'

Just hours after the Sea-Watch 5 docked at the port of Brindisi, Italy, Italian authorities opened a criminal investigation into the captain for 'aiding illegal immigration.' Police came on board to seize documents and equipment and took several crew members for questioning. Winkler called this a 'systematic and deliberate attempt' to hinder life-saving operations at sea.

Since 2014, more than 34,000 people have died or gone missing trying to cross the Mediterranean. Despite the risks, Elzanaty insists she will continue to join rescue missions: 'No one should be shot for saving lives at sea. Going through this only makes it harder for me to give up, because I have seen what people are facing.'