Sea-Watch warns of rising violence in the Mediterranean
LIBYA – A report published by the English-language French site InfoMigrants quoted the German migrant-rescue organisation Sea-Watch as describing 2026 as the most violent year in a decade toward irregular migrants and maritime rescue crews, based on incidents it says it has documented this year.
107 incidents since 2016 and allegations against the Libyan coastguard
The report, whose main points Al-Marsad followed and summarised, said Sea-Watch had documented 107 violent incidents since 2016, which it attributed to armed groups and said had targeted irregular migrants and European nationals.
It said the organisation attributed 80 of those incidents to the EU-backed Libyan coastguard and described them as about 70% of the documented cases, according to the figures and characterisation in the report.
26 incidents in 2026, including shootings and dangerous manoeuvres
Sea-Watch recorded 26 incidents in 2026, making this year, on its assessment, the highest for violence since it began documenting such events. The incidents included shootings at people and rescue ships, physical assaults, threats and dangerous manoeuvres around boats in difficulty in the Mediterranean.
Five cases of migrants forced into the sea
The organisation said it had documented five incidents this year in which migrants trying to reach Europe were forced to jump or fall into the sea, as well as repeated pursuit and harassment of rescue ships and orders for them to leave rescue sites.
The report noted that the data cover only incidents that could be documented, which the organisation said likely means additional unreported cases.
Criticism of continued European cooperation with Libya
InfoMigrants quoted Sea-Watch advocacy officer Bérénice Gaudin as rejecting continued European cooperation with Libya on migration. “The so-called Libyan coastguard shoots at people, threatens rescue crews, and leaves bodies behind at sea. And Europe trains them,” she said.
These accusations and descriptions remain attributed to the organisation and its officer, as reported.
