An Italian fishing vessel that came under fire from the Libyan coast guard on Tuesday morning for allegedly fishing inside Libya’s exclusive maritime zone is navigating back towards Italy, Italian news agency Ansa report.
Citing unnamed sources at the Italian foreign ministry, Ansa reported that an Italian naval asset intervened with a helicopter in support of the boat after it was “attacked in international waters” by “a Libyan patrol boat” that “fired several machine-gun shots at it”, according to a statement from the president of the Federation of Sicilian Shipowners, Fabio Micalizzi.
“The crew and the captain of the fishing boat were miraculously able to save themselves, but the vessel is ungovernable,” continued Micalizzi.
“At this moment, it is crucial to provide timely and adequate intervention to save the fishing boat and ensure the safety of all crew members. An Italian military vessel is on its way to the scene,” he added.
The Italian embassy in Libya immediately intervened with the government of Tripoli and the Libyan Coast Guard command, reported Ansa.