NextFin news, On Sunday afternoon, August 24, 2025, a patrol boat of the Libyan coast guard opened fire on the Ocean Viking, a Norwegian-flagged humanitarian rescue ship operated by the NGO SOS Méditerranée, while it was conducting migrant rescue operations in international waters approximately 40 nautical miles north of the Libyan coast.
The Ocean Viking had rescued 87 migrants in two separate operations earlier that day and was authorized by the Italian coordination center to suspend its route to the assigned Italian port to search for another vessel in distress. During this search, the Libyan coast guard vessel approached and ordered the Ocean Viking to leave the area and head north. Despite the Ocean Viking complying, two men aboard the Libyan patrol boat fired directly at the ship without warning.
The attack lasted at least 20 minutes, with gunfire aimed at the ship's crew on deck and critical navigation and rescue equipment. According to Francesco Creazzo, SOS Méditerranée's communications officer, the shots were fired at head height and targeted the ship's rescue and navigation instruments. The Ocean Viking sustained bullet holes near the crew's heads, damage to several antennas, four broken windows on the bridge, and damage to three rescue speedboats (RHIBS) and other rescue equipment.
The crew took cover by lying on the deck, and the rescued migrants were gathered inside a container on board. Fortunately, no one was injured during the attack, which SOS Méditerranée described as deliberate and unprecedented for a humanitarian vessel.
Investigations by journalist Sergio Scandura and the JLProject indicate that the patrol boat used in the attack was supplied to the Libyan coast guard by Italy in 2023 as part of European Union border management support. The Libyan coast guard is composed of armed militias funded and trained by Italy and the EU to prevent migrant departures from Libya, but it has a history of violent and intimidating behavior, including firing near rescue vessels to force them away.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions and problematic relations between Italy, the European Union, and the Libyan coast guard, which operates with considerable autonomy and often uses violent methods. The Libyan coast guard frequently intercepts migrants and returns them to detention centers in Libya, where human rights abuses are widespread.
Photos and videos of the attack were taken by Max Cavallari, a photographer aboard the Ocean Viking. The NGO has publicly condemned the attack and called for accountability.
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