According to an official, the EU’s border agency is obligated to notify Libya’s coast guard about migrant vessels

BRUSSELS: The director of Frontex said on Tuesday that the European Union’s border and coast guard agency has a responsibility to alert Libyan authorities about migrant boats in distress in the nation’s seas and would continue to do so after a charity claimed that Libya’s coast guard had threatened its crew during a rescue.

The Libyan coast guard allegedly used violence and live ammunition when its team was rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday, according to the German organization SOS Humanity.

Several migrants on three unseaworthy boats were forced to plunge into the ocean, according to the organization. Although it claimed to have saved 77 lives, additional passengers were coerced onto a Coast Guard vessel. There were some divided family members. One migrant drowned, at least.
Frontex monitors the EU’s external borders, including those in international waterways, using airplanes, drones, and other tools. Libya’s extensive Mediterranean search and rescue zone extends far beyond its territorial seas and almost halfway to the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The agency reports the whereabouts of vessels it deems to be in danger to the Coast Guard of Libya.
According to international law, Frontex is required to report such instances to “appropriate authorities,” which includes the Libyan authorities if the incident occurs in the search and rescue zone. This was stated by Hans Leijtens, executive director of Frontex, in an interview with The Associated Press. Ignoring them “would be playing with the lives of the migrants, as it would mean that resources that can be used to save lives won’t be assigned to the situation,” according to Leijtens. “That’s a gamble I will never take.”
Since 2015, the EU has provided funding to the Libyan coast guard as part of its endeavor to prevent migrants from the North African nation from traveling to Italy. The agreement states that the coast guard would return migrants to Libya after intercepting them in the international and Libyan seas.
Following the 2011 revolt sponsored by NATO that overthrew and murdered longstanding tyrant Moammar Gadhafi, Libya descended into turmoil. Numerous eyewitness reports of abuses by Coast Guard personnel and detention facility employees on land have surfaced over the years.
Charity ships searching for migrants in distress at sea, according to several EU nations, are simply serving to encourage more people to go to Europe. Italy has attempted to seize a few relief ships.
However, Leijtens said that Frontex’s collaboration with civilian groups is crucial.
“I think it’s important that we are not blocking any cooperation,” he said. “Whatever it takes to save lives is very important.”
The Missing Migrants Project of the International Organization for Migration states that in 2023, at least 962 migrants were confirmed deceased and 1,563 more were reported missing off the coast of Libya. Last year, over 17,200 migrants were apprehended and sent back to Libya.
According to Leijtens, Frontex does not have the authority, resources, or tools necessary to conduct rescue operations.