Migrants ‘feared for their lives’ as Libyan gunmen fired on rescue ship
The Sea-Watch 5 rescue ship came under fire from the Libyan coastguard while operating in international waters, causing fear among the crew and rescued migrants. The incident involved multiple shots fired without warning, leading to an attempted seizure of the vessel. Following the attack, the captain of Sea-Watch 5 is now under investigation for allegedly aiding illegal migration.
- ▪The Libyan coastguard fired on the Sea-Watch 5 rescue ship in international waters on May 11.
- ▪Crew members reported feeling terrified as shots were fired without warning.
- ▪The EU plans to continue its support for Libya despite the incident, while the captain of Sea-Watch 5 faces a criminal investigation.
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| Original publisher | Al Jazeera English |
| Canonical URL | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/libyan-gunmen-open-fire-on-rescue-ship?traffic_source=rss |
| Publication time | Mon, 18 May 2026 10:45:52 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-18T10:59:56.447Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-18T10:59:56.447Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
News|RefugeesMigrants ‘feared for their lives’ as Libyan gunmen fired on rescue shipThe Libyan coastguard threatened crew and refugees on board Sea-Watch 5, but it is the NGO ship’s captain who is under investigation.ListenListen (8 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoAfter Sea-Watch rescued several people, the NGO said a patrol boat operated by the Libyan coastguard opened fire on its ship and attempted to seize it [Courtesy of Sea-Watch]By Melissa PawsonPublished On 18 May 202618 May 2026Yasmin Ibrahim Elzanaty, a lawyer from Egypt who was working as a cultural mediator on a rescue ship a week ago, said when shots were fired “right next to me” as the vessel sailed in international waters off Libya,…
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