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Libyan coastguard shoots at boat full of people in Maltese SAR, NGO reports
NGO Alarmphone states that it is in contact with the vessel in the Maltese SAR area
12 October 2025, 3:30pm
Matthew Farrugia
Matthew Farrugia
1 min read
(Photo: Alarmphone)
A boat carrying people inside Malta’s search-and-rescue (SAR) zone has been shot at by the Libyan coastguard.
On Sunday afternoon, NGO Alarmphone posted that it is in contact with the vessel in the Maltese SAR area.
🆘 in the #CentralMed!
— @alarmphone (@alarm_phone) October 12, 2025
We are in contact with a boat in the Maltese SAR zone and people report they are being shot at by the so-called Libyan Coastguard right now! This violent attack must stop immediately. EU authorities must intervene and ensure a rescue to a place of safety! pic.twitter.com/Yei0dRTEmw
“This violent attack must be stopped immediately,” the NGO said referring to the shooting.
It called on EU authorities to intervene in the attack and make sure the people on the boat are rescued.
READ ALSO | Malta provided migrant boat location to Libyan militia with human trafficking ties
Alarmphone is an independent NGO that supports people crossing the Mediterranean Sea to the EU. The NGO has hotlines for people in the Mediterranean to make a distress call.
Throughout its 11 years since being founded, the NGO received some 8,000 distress signals from boats.
Matthew Farrugia is a journalist at MaltaToday
He was the joint-winner (2025) as upcoming...