The sea rescue team witnessed the Libyan authorities shooting a crowded ship to prevent it from crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.

After witnessing the Libyan maritime authorities chasing a crowded migrant ship and shooting in its direction, a non-profit maritime rescue organization lashed out at the Libyan coast guard, apparently to prevent it from crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.

Members of the German non-governmental organization Maritime Observatory filmed the incident while flying over the area during an observation mission on Wednesday.

“Those who fired at refugees and tried to capsize their ships were not trying to save them. The EU must immediately terminate cooperation with the so-called Libyan Coast Guard,” Felik was quoted in a statement by the organization published in the video. Words of Weiss.

In the video taken from the plane, a blue wooden boat with a small engine and at least two dozen people on it were followed by the Libyan Coast Guard in a high-speed circle.

During the hunt in the international waters where Malta is responsible for search and rescue, it can be seen that men in uniform on the Libyan ship fired at least twice on the ship, and the bullet hit the waters near the ship.

yesterday #?? Witnessed a brutal attack by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard deep in the Maltese SAR. Our video shows: shooting in the direction of the ship, the so-called Libyan Coast Guard repeatedly tried to hit the ship and throw objects at people. pic.twitter.com/0C2YSmcPoO

-Seawatch International (@seawatch_intl) July 1, 2021

The Libyan Coast Guard nearly collided with the ship several times.

Ocean Watch said it notified the Libyan authorities by radio that they were endangering the lives of the people on the blue boat and urged them to stop shooting.

The Libyan Coast Guard responded in poor English that they were trying to rescue the migrants.

The statement said that the “Sea Observation” aircraft had insufficient fuel and turned back before the end of the chase. Reports were received later that the ship had arrived on the island of Lampedusa, Italy, on Thursday morning.

The authorities in Libya, Malta or Lampedusa did not immediately comment on the matter.

The European Union trains, equips and supports the Libyan Coast Guard to intercept people trying to cross the central Mediterranean to Europe.

So far this year, at least 723 people have died or disappeared on this route due to unseaworthy ships.

From the beginning of the year to June 26, nearly 15,000 men, women, and children were intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard and returned to the Libyan coast, a record high.

Since 2014, more than 20,000 migrants and refugees have lost their lives while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

After the calm at the peak of the pandemic, the number of attempts and deaths in the central Mediterranean between Italy and Libya has increased this year.

With the support of the European Union, the Libyan Coast Guard stepped up the interception of migrant ships and sent the people on board back to Libya.

But the United Nations and several other human rights organizations condemned them for returning to this war-torn country, where many people are held in abominable detention centers, facing the risk of abuse and torture.