Report by Nektaria Psaraki
While the Mare Jonio rescue ship was distributing life jackets to 47 refugees on the boat, the Libyan Coast Guard, unexpectedly intervened. Iason Apostolopoulos, a rescuer on the ship, branded them as gangs financed by the European Union, using Italian weaponry and ships. Despite being 95 nautical miles from the Libyan coast, these forces demanded the Mare Jonio leave and return the refugees to Libya, an act Apostolopoulos equates to piracy.
Defying orders to leave, the Mare Jonio’s crew witnessed the Libyan Coast Guard open fire. Panic ensued, driving all refugees into the sea in a desperate bid to avoid being returned to Libya. Amidst this chaos, the Mare Jonio managed to rescue 25 individuals, while others, lacking life jackets, plunged into the water. A tense stand-off occurred as both the Mare Jonio crew and the Libyans raced to retrieve people from the water. The scene turned frantic as approximately 100 refugees, previously captured by the Libyans from other boats, also leapt into the sea seeking escape, echoing a shared sentiment: they preferred death over returning to Libya.
As the situation escalated, the Libyan Coast Guard intensified their assault, firing shots dangerously close to the Mare Jonio, only meters away. Despite the peril, the crew steadfastly attempted to rescue as many individuals as possible, ultimately saving 58 people amidst a harrowing scene of chaos and fear. The violence was stark; some refugees were struck to prevent their escape into the sea, others narrowly avoided the Libyan vessel’s propellers. Distress and desperation filled the air as the crew of Mare Jonio faced the reality of not knowing the fate of all those they sought to save. Amid this uncertainty, the exact number of those forcibly returned to Libya remains unknown, as does the fate of the refugees caught in the crossfire of this terrifying encounter.
Iason Apostolopoulos highlighted the incident as a grim outcome of the EU’s agreements with countries like Libya, Turkey, and Tunisia, aimed at halting refugee influxes. He criticised these arrangements for empowering actions like shooting at rescue boats and perpetuating human rights abuses to prevent refugee arrivals. Despite the dangers, Apostolopoulos views their successful rescue operation as a significant victory for humanity and a testament to the refugees’ courage. He vows to continue supporting those braving perilous escapes for freedom, emphasising solidarity with refugees against the backdrop of EU policies.
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