After rescuing 18 people from distress at sea in international waters on 24 January 2026, Italian authorities have now detained the German rescue vessel Sea-Watch 5 for 15 days and imposed a financial penalty of €7500 on the organization Sea-Watch. The Italian authorities justify the detention of the vessel by alleging that the rescue organisation refused to inform Libyan militias such as the so-called Libyan Coast Guard about its rescue operation. Shortly before, however, these actors had attempted to intimidate the ship’s crew in international waters and instructed them to leave the area. Such an instruction is unfounded under international law on freedom of navigation. Sea-Watch will take legal action against the detention of its ship Sea-Watch 5.
On 5 November 2025, 13 civilian search and rescue organisations formed the Justice Fleet alliance. Together, they oppose the Italian state’s attempt to force them to communicate their rescue operations to violent Libyan actors. Over the past ten years, more than 70 incidents of extreme violence — including shootings at rescue vessels and at people fleeing — have been documented in the Mediterranean. The majority of these attacks were carried out by the so-called Libyan coastguard. In 2025 alone, the highest number of incidents was recorded, with 21 cases of extreme violence overall. In recent years, Italian courts have repeatedly emphasised the life-saving role of civil search and rescue organizations and have ruled that the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and the Libyan Rescue Coordination Centre are not legitimate rescue actors in the Central Mediterranean, and that following their unlawful instructions violates international law.
Giulia Messmer, spokesperson for Sea-Watch, said: “Italy is demanding that we cooperate with Libyan militias that shoot at rescue ships and kill people seeking protection. Now the Italian authorities are detaining us because we refuse to participate in this violation of international law. Italy is orchestrating deaths in the Mediterranean, and Germany is turning a blind eye.”
Since 2024, rescue vessels have been detained 37 times under the far-right government of Giorgia Meloni — resulting in more than 770 days of lost operational time. In addition, two civil society human rights monitoring aircraft have each been prevented from carrying out their work for 20 days. Since 2014, more than 33,400 people have drowned or are still missing in the Mediterranean.
