Lives on the line in hampered rescue

ROME – An NGO boat has come into conflict with the Libyan coastguard whilst salvaging migrants from a sinking rubber dinghy in the Mediterranean. The Libyan crew reportedly threatened to shoot at the Spanish rescue boat, demanding that the migrants aboard be taken back with them to Libya.

 Laura Lanuza, the spokesperson for ProActiva stated that “we were already operating when the Libyan patrol boat arrived which demanded on taking control of the operations”. With the "Open Arms" on track to complete a successful rescue, the Libyan patrol boat allegedly carved in between the migrant’s rubber dinghy and the NGO ship.

 Here it stationed itself, heightening pressure and hindering efforts both to launch lifeboats and throw out lifejackets, whilst running down a fast-ticking clock.

 ProActiva Open Arms founder, Oscar Camps, has rigorously denounced the actions of the Libyan coastguard, who were “threatening to fire at a ship bearing the European flag if we did not hand over the women and children that we have already saved”.

 The mission was, therefore, heavily stalled as the Libyans proceeded with attempts to board the ProActiva ship, and it eventually took almost two hours to be concluded. In total, the rescue boat succeeded in saving 218 migrants – 117 earlier in the day, followed by the nervy salvaging of 101 whose lives were unnecessarily put in even greater peril.

 Mr Camps was also critical of the Italian coastguard who were unable to diffuse the tense situation, delivering “confused messages via radio”. These vague communications were conveyed whilst the operations lingered in constant danger.

 Further questions arouse of the effectiveness of the training of the Libyan coastguard, which has been financed by Europe. The incident occurred 70 miles off the Libyan coast, therefore far beyond the territorial reach of the African vessel.

 Despite the falling number of departures from Libya, the humanitarian problems remain rife. Migrants awaiting shipment across the Mediterranean have called attention to the calamitous conditions in Libyan detention centres meaning that the risks of the crossing are met with equally severe health risks before, during and after a possible arrival.

 Whilst the outcome of this rescue may have been positive, the sheer angst at critical moments of the mission demonstrates that a different conclusion was not far away. Added pressure on tight-rope rescue operations is unwarranted and can rarely be afforded.

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