A humanitarian organization reported that armed men in two speedboats abducted women and children after a rubber dinghy carrying approximately 112 migrants began deflating off Libya’s coast. The incident was detailed by Doctors Without Borders, which intervened when their vessel, Geo Barents, reached the scene in international waters on Thursday.
As the overcrowded dinghy started losing air, many men and boys onboard jumped into the sea. The Geo Barents successfully rescued 83 individuals, including men and unaccompanied minors, with 70 of them being pulled from the water.
Nearby, two speedboats claiming to be from the Libyan Coast Guard were present. Migrants reported that shots were fired by men on these boats, although no fatalities were recorded. One of the speedboats took onboard 24 women and four children, promising to return them after the men had been rescued, according to Doctors Without Borders spokesperson Maurizio Debbane. Contrary to their promise, the armed men fled the scene, leaving uncertainty regarding the fate of the women and children.
The rescued migrants hailed from Eritrea, Yemen, and Ethiopia. Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, has urged regional authorities and organizations to assist in reuniting families, emphasizing that Libya is not a safe environment for migrants. MSF condemned the actions that endangered lives and tore families apart.
Maria Eliana Tunno, a psychologist on the Geo Barents, described the harrowing situation: “Many people were aboard an overcrowded rubber dinghy that was deflating, and they were threatened by armed men, who fired shots. They endured the horror of being separated from their wives and daughters, who were taken away.” One man even jumped into the water, desperate to reach his wife and two children, aged four months and ten years.
Tunno characterized the rescued individuals as “very tired, desperate, and in shock,” noting that many had endured abuse and inhumane treatment in Libya.
So far this year, over 62,000 migrants have reached Italy by sea, a significant decrease compared to the over 152,000 arrivals during the same timeframe in 2023, according to Italy’s Interior Ministry. The United Nations reported that 2,124 migrants have perished attempting the dangerous Central Mediterranean crossing in 2024.
In response to the ongoing migrant crisis, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s far-right-led government has enacted policies designed to reduce migration to Italy. This includes multi-million euro agreements with Tunisia and Egypt to halt migrant departures and plans to establish centers in Albania for screening migrants outside of Europe’s borders.
Credit: ABC News
