Libyan coast guard accused of firing at migrant rescue attempt

A German charity has accused the Libyan coast guard of staging a ‘life-threatening intervention’ during an attempt to rescue migrants from the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday. SOS Humanity claims that the coast guard fired live bullets during the rescue, forcing the migrants, who were in three unseaworthy boats, to jump overboard. The charity says it managed to rescue 77 of the migrants, but many others were forced on board a Libyan coast guard boat, ‘separating at least six family members from each other.’ At least one migrant drowned during the rescue attempt, it added. The coast guard has so far not commented on the alleged incident.