- Title: Libyan coastguard fire shots to warn away NGO migrant rescue boat
- Date: 8th August 2017
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (AUGUST 8, 2017) (REUTERS) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANGELINO ALFANO AND UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR LIBYA GHASSAN SALAME AT NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF SALAME DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FOREIGN MINISTER, ANGELINO ALFANO, SAYING: "We have committed ourselves to the reconstruction of the Libyan coastguard above all in two ways: first with technical instruments including speed boats and secondly with training of their personnel and we have now started a further mission of assistance. So, my final answer is that we believe our efforts to improve the Libyan coastguard is work in progress. It has started producing initial results. Evidently, things can still improve, but the situation is already better than it was at the beginning," ALFANO AND SALAME SHAKING HANDS ALFANO AND SALAME LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2017 14:27
- Keywords: Europe migrants Italy Proactiva NGO Interior Minister Angelino Alfano
- Location: AT SEA AND ROME, ITALY
- City: AT SEA AND ROME, ITALY
- Country: Various
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0026TARJ9J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT
A Spanish migrant aid group operating in the Mediterranean, Proactiva said one of their boats, 'Open Arms' received a threatening radio call from the Libyan coastguard on Monday morning (August 7) while patrolling international waters, some 13 miles from the Libyan coast between Tripoli and Zuwara.
A spokeswoman for the group sent an audio recording to Reuters in which a man's voice can be heard warning them not to come so close to their waters or they will be targeted.
The spokeswoman said the Libyan coastguard had fired shots into the air, in the direction of the NGO boat.
A Libyan coastguard spokesman said one of its patrol vessels had fired two shots into the air after finding the Spanish boat exactly 12 miles from the Libyan coast, an area he said was for Libya to patrol.
The European Union is providing training and funding for the coastguard in Libya, which became the most common departure point for people trying to reach Europe by sea in the turmoil following the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano told a news conference on Tuesday that Italy's effort to help the Libyan coastguard was work in progress. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
