Libyan armed gang kills refugees

#SeaWatch3 crew witnessed reckless and violent behavior by LYCG. A helicopter of the Italian Navy had to interfere to prevent more deaths. pic.twitter.com/ZVSWPzNVLz
— Sea-Watch (@seawatchcrew) November 6, 2017

Translated from Dutch NOS TV:

Quarrel between [rescue organisation] Sea-Watch and Libya about sunken refugee boat

Today, 21:40

Sea-Watch claims that the Libyan Coast Guard

There is not one Libyan Coast Guard, as there is not one Libyan government. There are at least three governments, each with their own armed gangs, killing each other’s gangsters and civilians. Some of them call themselves ‘the coast guard’. Some are paid by European Union taxpayers’ money, some by Italian taxpayers’ money, some by British taxpayers’ money, etc.

is responsible for the death of five migrants at sea by reckless ship movements. A rescue boat from the relief organization came along with a boat from the Libyan coast guard at a rubber boat with around 140 refugees. This happened according to Sea-Watch in international waters.

According to the aid organization, the Libyans forced as many people as possible to go aboard to take them back to Tripoli. Subsequently, the coast guard’s vessel moved off at high speed while there were still refugees clinging to the sides of the ship. The rubber boat capsized throwing dozens of left-behind refugees into the water.

The incident happened at over fifty miles away from Libya at sea. With this action, Libya clearly transgressed the international rules, says Sea-Watch, as it happened outside territorial waters. …

Sea-Watch says 58 refugees have been rescued from the sea. The Libyan Coast Guard is said to have taken 45 people back to Tripoli.

Europe’s Quiet Offensive Against People Helping Refugees. A look back on three years since the end of Operation Mare Nostrum: here.