Libyan Coast Guard Fires on European Migrant Rescue Ship in International Waters

Libya’s coast guard opened fire on a European humanitarian rescue ship in international waters on Sunday, in what NGOs are calling one of the most serious attacks yet on migrant rescue operations in the central Mediterranean.

The Ocean Viking, operated by SOS Mediterranee in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, was conducting a rescue operation about 40 nautical miles off the Libyan coast when it came under sustained gunfire from a Libyan patrol vessel.

The ship had just rescued 87 people from two boats, many of them fleeing conflict in Sudan, when the confrontation occurred. According to SOS Mediterranee, Libyan forces approached the Ocean Viking and opened fire with automatic weapons for nearly 20 minutes.

“At first I didn’t recognize the sound, but when the windows shattered above me, we dropped to the floor,” said Angelo Selim, the ship’s search and rescue coordinator. He added that over the radio, a voice in Arabic warned: “If you don’t leave the area, we will come and kill you all.”

Footage released by the NGO shows armed men pointing rifles, shattered glass inside the bridge, and visibly damaged ship equipment. Though no one was injured, SOS Mediterranee condemned the attack as “an outrageous and unacceptable act,” accusing the Libyan coast guard of endangering the lives of crew and rescued migrants and violating international maritime law.

The incident adds to growing concerns over the behavior of Libya’s EU-backed coast guard, which has faced repeated allegations of violence, obstruction, and abuse during maritime operations.

European humanitarian groups operating in the region have long criticized the EU’s cooperation with Libyan authorities, citing a pattern of hostility and disregard for human rights obligations.