Libyan forces fire bullets at escaping migrants in the Central Mediterranean, European authorities do not care
In the early afternoon of 12 October 2025, Alarm Phone was called by a group of approximately 100-150 people who were trying to escape from Libya on a fishing vessel. They repeatedly told us that they were being shot at with live ammunition by an unidentified vessel. They identified the perpetrators as a Libyan militia. Their GPS position at 13:30h CEST showed them in international waters, in the Maltese search and rescue zone (N34 50, E015 54).
Although we alerted European authorities to the distressed boat, including authorities in Italy and Malta, they failed to act. For over 12 hours, no coastguard vessel or any other asset came to rescue or assist the attacked group. Given the failure to intervene, the attack on the migrant boat could continue unhindered. For hours, the people on board reported that the militia group remained in their vicinity, continuously attacking and shooting them. In the afternoon, the people also reported that the milita forces were ramming their boat, risking that it would capsize.
We then lost contact to the boat on October 13 in the morning and learned later that they were rescued by the Italian coastguard. However, one person has a bullet lodged in their skull and is in a coma, while at least two others have been severely injured. We hope that all will survive.
We are appalled by yet another border crime in the central Mediterranean Sea. While we cannot verify the actor that attacked the escaping migrant group, this behaviour indicates that it may well be the Libyan milita, as identified by the people on board. This behaviour aligns with behaviour we have witnessed time and again in the central Mediterranean context: Libya actors chasing after boats, trying to prevent them from reaching safety. With the support of the EU and its member states, the Libyan militias have turned into a brutal border force that acts with aggression and impunity at sea.
At the same time, European actors continuously fail to render timely assistance, leaving people at risk of drowning and of being killed by Libyan forces. Both the Maltese and the Italian authorities bear responsibility – on the one hand, for outsourcing border control to Libya and, on the other, for routinely violating the laws of the sea.
We call for an investigation into this case – stop the impunity of state actors in the Mediterranean! Stop collaborations with militia forces and end the Memorandum of Understanding between Italy and Libya!
Timeline
12 October 2025
13:20 CEST on 12 October 2025: First call from the people on the boat. The Alarm Phone shift hears screams. People are in panic. They call for help and report the presence of a “militia”. They read out a GPS position, but we can only understand parts of it. The call breaks.
14:20 A relative of the people on the boat forwards their position – read as N 34 50 000 E015 54 000. The relative says that the position is about 1 hour old and adds that the boat is being shot at by the Libyan Coastguard in the Maltese Search and Rescue Zone.
14:34 Alarm Phone alerts JRCC Malta and MRCC Rome via E-Mail to the boat in distress and share information on the attack on the people on the move in the Maltese Search and Rescue zone.
14:49 Alarm Phone tweets: “SOS in the #CentralMed! We are in contact with a boat in the Maltese SAR zone and people report they are being shot at by the so-called Libyan Coastguard right now! This violent attack must stop immediately. EU authorities must intervene and ensure a rescue to a place of safety!” https://x.com/alarm_phone/status/1977355929663221845
15:11 We call JRCC Malta. The officer on the phone notes down the provided information and states that he would forward it to the officer on duty.
15:18 We call MRCC Rome. The officer on the phone confirms that they received our alert and are in contact with JRCC Malta. The officer does not specify whether or how the Italian authorities will act.
15:25 The people in distress call again and report three persons are wounded and one person deceased. They add that the militia is still following them.
15:36 We update both the Maltese and Italian authorities about the situation on board.
15:38 We call MRCC Rome. The officer on the phone refuses to provide information.
15:43 We call JRCC Malta. The officer on the phone refuses to provide information.
15:53 The people in distress call again. They are panicking, saying that they are dying and and that they urgently need assistance.
16:19 The people in distress state that a fourth personis wounded and that the Libyan militia keeps shooting at them. The people add that their boat is moving but very slowly.
16.24 We tweet: “One person is reportedly dead, three are injured. Militias are still near the boat and shooting at them. Authorities are not of any help. The EU has to immediately stop the cooperation with the so-called Libyan Coastguard!” https://x.com/alarm_phone/status/1977379815893135551?s=19
16:30 We try to reach the so-called Libyan Coast Guard via phone, to request them to stop the shooting. We call eight different phone numbers of the Libyan coastguard – none of which work.
16:59 We try to reach the emergency line of the merchant vessel Stoic Warrior (IMO: 1028762), which is near the boat in distress. The line does not work due to technical issues.
17:21 The people in distress report that the Libyan ship is ramming them with their boat.
17:48 We inform both Maltese and Italian authorities via another email about the violence at sea: “Dear officer on duty, We were again on the phone with the people on the boat in the Maltese SAR zone. According to the people on the phone, there is one more person wounded, so at this point, there are four people wounded and one person dead. The people report that there is still one boat from the Libyan militias there, shooting at them and hitting them with their boat. The people on the boat fear for their lives. We urgently ask you to intervene, stop the killing and bring the people to safety, before more people die. Thank you for your attention”
18.08 We tweet: “URGENT UPDATE The people on the boat are still without assistance but the attacks continue. They report that the so-called Libyan Coast Guard is now ramming their boat. We urge an immediate end to this aggression and demand rescue!” https://x.com/alarm_phone/status/1977405965826986471
19:29 Merchant vessel Souselas (IMO 9394234) is close to the boat and may be able to provide support. We try to contact the company.
21:36 the aerial asset of Frontex, Eagle 3, is orbiting at 35.232°, 16.047°, which is near the current position of the boat
22:25 We call JRCC Malta but they mailbox is not reachable.
22:27 We call JRCC Malta but a voice says “the number that you have dialed does not exist.”
22:29 We call JRCC Malta and are placed on hold. We do not get through.
22:35 We call JRCC Malta, a voice says “thank you for calling Joint operation center”, then music. We do not get through.
13 October 2025
05:34 Airplane Eagle3 is flying again, also approaching the boat in distress, at 35.603°, 15.581°
06:40 The people call and give a new position N3558 E1544. They report a second person died, there are still wounded people. They see a plane above them.
08:18 A mayday relay is sent by airplane Eagle3
Alarm Phone cannot reach the group again
13:00 The people disembark in Pozzallo, Italy. They were rescued but several people are severely wounded by gunshots.
