Italy seizes Spanish Proactivia Open Arms ship for snubbing Libya coastguards’ orders
Italian authorities accused Spanish charity Proactiva Open Arms of aiding illegal immigration after one of their boats refused to take migrants rescued from the Mediterranean to Libya, heading instead to southern Italy.
Proactiva’s rescue ship was being held on court orders on Monday in the Sicilian port of Pozzallo, where it arrived on Saturday carrying some 200 migrants that it had picked up from hazardous dinghies in international waters off Libya.
According to the Italian coast guard, Libyan authorities are responsible for patrolling the area and taking in people rescued there, under a migration agreement between Italy and Libya designed to reduce the number of crossings from North Africa to southern Europe.
The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.
Latest posts by Libyan Express (see all)
- UN mission warns judicial rifts threaten Libya’s elections - January 30, 2026
- Libya positions its oil sector for renewed investment - January 28, 2026
- Libya draws Saudi interest in refining as regional energy ties deepen - January 28, 2026