A Libyan patrol’s assault on a rescue vessel has left 90 asylum seekers stranded in the Mediterranean, with the Alan Kurdi vessel asking on European ports to provide safe entry for them.

The Alan Kurdi vessel was attacked during an ongoing rescue operation of a dinghy carrying 90 people, with the militia shooting in the air and water towards the boats.

“The rubber boat was completely overburdened, and water entered. Suddenly, three heavily armed fast boats under Libyan flag approached,” Sea-Eye said in a statement

“In panic, people started jumping off the white rubber boat to reach the rescue boats of the Alan Kurdi. The Libyan militia threatened the captain via radio with aiming their boat’s mounted guns at the German ship. The captain sent the majority of the crew to the back of the ship to minimise the danger to them,” they continued.

Luckily now all 90 ppl on the rubber boat were rescued and are on board #AlanKurdi. The militia had shot into air & water towards the boats, which severely endangered the lives of crew & rescuees. Meanwhile, the militia has left, a second refugeeboat however was abducted by them. pic.twitter.com/dKWo9cvxD7

— Sea-Watch International (@seawatch_intl) October 26, 2019

The militia eventually left, taking a second refugee boat with them. The 90 people are now aboard the Alan Kurdi vessel.

The vessel is now heading towards Lampedusa. However, NGOs have been denied entry to European ports several times over the last year, with Malta and Italy regularly engaging in diplomatic standoffs over the issue.

An EU distribution network proposed by Malta, France, and Germany was recently shot down by a large majority of member states.

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