Catalan NGO rescue boat with three migrants not allowed to disembark

Catalan NGO Proactiva Open Arms reported on Tuesday that Italy had not allowed three migrants to disembark from one of their rescue boats for more than two days. According to the organization, the lifeguards on the ship had rescued three Libyans in the Mediterranean after having been asked for help by the Italian authorities. However, while waiting in international waters for permission to disembark, a Libyan coastguard patrol warned the NGO boat by shooting into the air and threatening them.

Libyan coastguard accuses the NGO of "dealing with smugglers"

The Libyan coastguard accused the NGO of “conducting suspicious activities” and also of “dealing with smugglers” as video footage shared by Proactiva Open Arms shows. “Next time you will be targeted,” the patrol added. The Libyans told the rescue boat captain not to get any closer to Libyan waters and said that they had been monitoring the NGO over the previous two days.