UPDATE: Incident Involving MSF Mediterranean Search and Rescue Vessel Bourbon Argos - Libyan Navy Admit Confrontation
A REPORT reached us at OCEANUSLive that one of the Medecins Sans Frontieries - Doctors Without Borders - rescue ships in the Mediterranean was involved in an incident where shots were fired and boarding took place.
On the morning of August 17, an unidentified boat approached the rescue ship Bourbon Argos at high speed. At the time the Bourbon Argos, a chartered rescue vessel, was conducting a search and rescue operation in international waters north of the Libyan coast.
The Bourbon Argos is one of three ships with MSF teams in the central Mediterranean whose sole mission is search and rescue for people fleeing armed conflict, disasters and extreme poverty, who lack safe and legal channels to flee.
The attack occurred 24 nautical miles north of the Libyan coast.
The attacking speedboat was first spotted at 9:15 a.m.
Since there was no clear identification or communication on the part of the high-speed boat, the embrked MSF team carried out precautionary measure by mustering in the designated safety area [or citadel] of the ship.
Armed men on board the high-speed boat fired shots in the direction of Bourbon Argos, with some reports stating 13 shots hit the bridge, and proceeded to board the rescue ship, although they left shortly thereafter.
The MSF team suspected that the gunmen wanted to physically harm those employed on Bourbon Argos. Thanks to the solid security measures all team members were kept safe. During the incident nothing was stolen, and the damage to the vessel was reported as minimal.
In the German MSF website, it stated it does not have information on the identity of the attackers or the motives behind the attack. The incident is still under further investigation.
MSF condemns this shameful deed against a humanitarian organization that saves people on their way through the central Mediterranean and offers them vital medical care.
It is believed to be the first such incident of its kind. whilst details remain closely guarded as the investigation is ongoing, assigning responsibility for the attack is yet to be determined.
The Bourbon Argos is currently in port in Sicily. The team aboard the two other MSF rescue vessels are still conducting search and rescue operations in waters north of Libya. All operations are conducted from the ports in Sicily (Italy) and Malta.
Since the beginning of the search and rescue operations on 21 April 2016, the team of Doctors Without Borders (in partnership with SOS Méditerranée) aboard the Dignity, Bourbon Argos and Aquarius in 84 rescue missions have saved 10,925 people.
UPDATE: [By The Guardian 28 Aug 2016]
The Libyan navy has admitted taking part in a confrontation with the refugee rescue boat the Bourbon Argos in international waters off the coast of Libya, following days of speculation about who attacked it.
“A Libyan coastguard patrol was about 25 miles offshore. She observed an unidentified vessel to which the order was given to stop, but [the vessel] did not comply,” Brig Ayoub Qassim, a spokesman for the Libyan navy, was quoted as saying by Radio France International.
Qassim added: “We fired five warning shots. We did not storm the boat, we are categorical [about that]. And the patrol then returned to the coast. We informed Operation Sophia” – an EU naval operation based off the coast of Libya – “of this incident and we have opened an investigation. We are the Libyan coastguard and the boat should stop and identify themselves.”
The Libyan navy’s claims are inconsistent with MSF’s account.
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