Overview

• SOS Méditerranée reports two men on a Libyan patrol boat opened sustained fire for about 20 minutes, striking the bridge, shattering windows, and damaging antennas and rescue equipment.
• The Ocean Viking was about 40 nautical miles north of Libya with 87 rescued people on board, and the NGO says no one was physically injured.
• The group says Italy’s maritime coordination had authorized a search for another distress case when the patrol ordered the ship to withdraw from international waters.
• The crew issued a distress call and alerted NATO, and the NGO says a referenced Italian navy unit did not answer.
• SOS Méditerranée calls for a criminal investigation and a halt to European cooperation with Libyan units, noting reports the attacking boat was a Corrubia-class vessel transferred by Italy in 2023, and the Libyan coastguard has not commented.