A migrant's hand is seen as member of a German nonprofit organisation looks at other migrants trying to board a Libyan coast guard ship after being rescued at sea, Monday, Nov. 6, 2017. Five migrants have died as a German nonprofit organization, Sea-Watch, and the Libyan coast guard tried to rescue them from their foundering boat in the Mediterranean, with each side blaming the other for botching the operation. (Lisa Hoffmann/Sea-Watch via AP)
Republished November 07, 2017 - 6:39 AM
Original Publication Date November 07, 2017 - 5:16 AM
BERLIN - Five migrants have died as a German non-profit organization and the Libyan coast guard tried to rescue them from their foundering boat in the Mediterranean, with each side blaming the other for botching the operation.
Germany's Sea-Watch said Tuesday its rescue ship was helping migrants on the sinking inflatable boat in international waters off the Libyan coast Monday morning when a Libyan coast guard boat also began to simultaneously take migrants onboard.
Sea-Watch said the Libyan coast guard caused panic by "beating and threatening" the passengers, before driving off at high speed with people clinging to the side.
Five people, including a child, were killed and 58 rescued by Sea-Watch.
Libya blames Sea-Watch for the fatalities, saying they interrupted the coast guard's rescue work "despite our appeals."
News from © The Associated Press, 2017