The head of the European Union's border and coast guard agency, Frontex, reaffirmed its commitment to informing Libyan authorities about migrant boats in trouble in the country's waters. This comes after a German charity, SOS Humanity, reported that the Libyan coast guard used violence and fired live bullets during a rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea.
SOS Humanity rescued 77 people from three unseaworthy boats, but some migrants were forced aboard a coast guard vessel, leading to family separations and at least one drowning. Frontex, utilizing aircraft, drones, and other equipment to monitor the EU's external borders, including international waters, provides the Libyan coast guard with the location of boats believed to be in danger.
Frontex's executive director emphasized the agency's obligation under international law to report such incidents to the appropriate authorities, including the Libyan authorities if the incident occurs in their search and rescue zone. Failure to do so would jeopardize the lives of migrants as vital resources for rescue operations would not be allocated to the incident.
The EU has been supporting the Libyan coast guard since 2015 to prevent migrants from reaching Italy. The coast guard intercepts migrants in Libyan and international waters, returning them to Libya. However, reports of abuses by the coast guard and detention center staff have surfaced over the years.
Despite some EU countries expressing concerns that charity ships encourage more migrants to attempt the perilous journey to Europe, Frontex stresses the importance of collaboration with nongovernmental organizations to save lives at sea. The International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project documented 962 migrant deaths and 1,563 others missing off Libya in 2023, with around 17,200 migrants intercepted and returned to Libya last year.
Frontex acknowledges its limitations in conducting rescue operations due to a lack of mandate, adequate funds, and equipment. The agency remains committed to its mission of border security and migrant protection, working within the constraints of its resources.
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