Libyan military boat opens fire at Italian fishing boat, captain wounded

Defence Redefined

Published on 07/05/2021 at 08:22

A Captain of an Italian fishing boat was wounded by Libyan fire yesterday in southern Sicily.

According to Italian media, a warship from Tripoli opened fire at the Italian fishing boat Alizeo, (which had sailed from the Sicilian city of Mazzara del Valo) injuring its captain, Giuseppe Giacalone.

At the same time, according to Italian sources, water cannon blasts caused damage to two other Italian fishing boats. The Libyan navy, for its part, said its men fired into the air, but not against their boats and crew.

This is not an isolated incident and is linked to the different interpretations of the Italian fishermen and the authorities of Tripoli as to where the international territorial waters end and those of Libya begin.

The Italian frigate Libezio was recently sent to the area and the Italian Minister of Defence, Lorenzo Guerini, is constantly briefed on the development of the situation.

Also read: Two British coastal patrols rush into the English Channel because of French fishermen – VIDEO