Video: Libyan coastguard attacks migrants at sea

Image: Sea-Watch.
Image: Sea-Watch.

Shocking footage shows “coastguard” vessel firing towards migrant boat

Offentliggjort

A heartless and dangerous attack against migrants by the Libyan coastguard was caught on camera by the charity Sea-Watch on Wednesday.

The disturbing footage shows a coastguard launch firing towards a much smaller migrant boat and hounding it in what looks like an attempt to ram the overloaded vessel. The crew also appeared to throw sticks at the migrants.

Sea-Watch shot the footage from the air and repeatedly hailed the launch (identified as the Italian-supplied Ras Jadir) in an effort to stop the dangerous interception.

The incident occurred in the Maltese SAR coordination zone and is the latest in a string of similar incidents.

The Ras Jadir was instrumental in the death of an estimated 50 people adrift in a life raft in 2017 and actively hampered efforts by Sea-Watch RHIB teams to rescue the drowning migrants.

Yesterday #Seabird witnessed a brutal attack by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard deep in the Maltese SAR zone. Our video shows: Shots have been fired in the direction of the boat, the so-called Libyan Coast Guard tried to ram the boat several times and threw objects at people. pic.twitter.com/0C2YSmcPoO

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