An aid group conducting a rescue mission in the Mediterranean faced a harrowing interruption when armed bandits boarded the overloaded smugglers' boat and made off with it, leaving migrants stranded at sea. The incident, captured on video by SOS Mediterranee, took place approximately 46 nautical miles north of Zuwara on Libya's western coast, a common departure point for migrant smuggling operations bound for Europe.
During the rescue operation, volunteers from SOS Mediterranee were in the process of transferring 93 passengers from the wooden boat to their rescue vessel when two rubber dinghies approached. A masked bandit suddenly boarded the migrant boat, causing panic among the remaining passengers who jumped into the sea. The bandit seized control of the empty boat and steered it away while the SOS Mediterranee crew worked to rescue those in the water.
The motives behind the bandits' actions remain unclear, with speculations that they may have intended to reclaim the boat for future smuggling endeavors. In response to such incidents, Italian maritime authorities have been known to intentionally sink seized boats as a safety precaution.
Valeria Taurino, the general director of SOS Mediterranee, expressed concerns over the diminishing resources allocated to rescue operations by governments, forcing aid groups to operate in increasingly perilous conditions. Taurino highlighted the rise in armed presence and illicit activities in the absence of adequate state support, posing risks to both migrants and humanitarian workers.
Despite claims by Italian authorities that humanitarian rescue efforts encourage migrant crossings, rescue groups have reported multiple operations this week due to favorable weather conditions during the summer season. Notably, the number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea this year stands at 27,744, significantly lower than the 72,036 arrivals recorded by the same time last year, as per interior ministry data.
The current right-wing government, led by Premier Giorgia Meloni, has prioritized curbing migration by implementing measures such as agreements with African nations to deter departures, restricting the activities of humanitarian rescue vessels, and cracking down on trafficking networks. These efforts aim to dissuade potential migrants from embarking on dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean.
For more updates on migration-related issues, visit AP's migration coverage.
