European Commission Seeks Clarification on Libya Shooting Incident Involving Ocean Viking

Brussels: The European Commission said Tuesday it had contacted Libyan authorities in order to clarify the alleged shooting Monday by the Libyan coast guard at the Ocean Viking, a migrant rescue ship operated by the Italo-Franco-German-Swiss NGO SOS Mediterannee.

According to Ansa News Agency, an EC spokesperson stated, “We have contacted the Libyan authorities to clarify the facts; it is their duty to say what happened,” regarding the incident. The spokesperson further mentioned, “We are establishing the facts; we are not yet at the stage of possible consequences.”

The crew of the Ocean Viking reported that they were targeted with “hundreds of bullets” by the Libyan coast guard for over 10 minutes after rescuing a group of migrants off the coast of North Africa. This incident has prompted reactions from various political entities.

In response to the event, the Italian opposition has called for the revocation of the agreement between Italy and the Libyan coast guard, highlighting the need for a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.