Italian coast guard launches investigation
An armed attack on a migrant boat traveling from Libya toward Italy in the Mediterranean Sea has triggered a formal investigation by the Italian coast guard. The fishing vessel, carrying around 140 migrants, was reportedly targeted by gunfire approximately 100 miles southeast of Malta, within Maltese search and rescue waters. According to Italian officials, three individuals were rescued in critical condition and transferred to the port of Pozzallo in Sicily for medical treatment.
The incident occurred shortly after another reported shooting at sea on October 12, when the NGO Alarm Phone claimed that two migrants had been killed aboard a boat carrying 113 people from Libya. Although the exact details remain uncertain, investigators suspect the two events may be connected, possibly referring to the same vessel. The Times of Malta reported that Maltese military authorities had tracked a fishing boat but noticed “no visible commotion” and received no distress calls during the episode.
Pattern of violence raises questions over EU-Libya cooperation
This marks the third alleged armed assault involving the Libyan coast guard in recent months. In August, the humanitarian rescue ship Ocean Viking, operated by SOS Méditerranée, was targeted by sustained gunfire during a rescue mission. The following month, a Sea-Watch vessel reported a similar ambush while assisting migrants at sea. Both NGOs have condemned what they describe as “systematic violence” by Libyan forces operating with European backing.
Despite growing criticism from humanitarian groups and members of the European Parliament, the EU’s partnership with Libya on migration control appears to be strengthening. The EU continues to finance and train Libyan maritime units, arguing that cooperation helps prevent irregular departures. However, rights organizations warn that these actions are pushing the central Mediterranean route — already one of the world’s most dangerous — into a deeper humanitarian crisis.
Mounting pressure for accountability
With the latest armed attack on a migrant boat, calls for greater oversight of Libyan maritime operations are intensifying. Analysts note that the lack of transparency at sea makes it nearly impossible to verify incidents or assign responsibility. As migration pressure toward Europe continues, and as the Central Mediterranean corridor remains perilous, the balance between security and human rights at sea has once again come under the spotlight.
