While rescue ships in the Mediterranean were under fire, the European border agency Frontex maintained contact with Libyan authorities. This is evident from documents obtained through information requests. Frontex refuses to disclose what was discussed. This secrecy is now under pressure due to recent rulings by the European Court of Justice. ‘Frontex can no longer want to see everything and be responsible for nothing,’ said human rights lawyer Lisa-Marie Komp.
Last summer, on 24 August 2025, Dutch doctor and rescue worker Ayla Emmink was taking a short rest on board the Ocean Viking when she suddenly heard a strange noise. Emmink had been working for more than 24 hours and had just rescued dozens of people from two leaking rubber boats. ‘I heard a dull bang,’ she says. ‘The bullets hit right next to my cabin.’
The SOS Méditerranée ship was fired upon for about twenty minutes by a Libyan coast guard patrol boat. At the time, they were sailing in international waters. On board were the crew, from several European countries, and about 90 shipwrecked people from Africa. The exact details of the nature of the attack are still unknown. The attempted murder case is now before the court in Syracuse, where a formal investigation has been opened into members of the Libyan coast guard involved in the attack.
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