UNHCR urges investigation following deadly incident at Libya disembarkation point

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, deplores the tragic loss of three lives and calls for an urgent investigation following a shooting at Al Khums disembarkation point in Libya last night, following the interception of a boat by the Libya Coast Guard.

The shooting occurred after more than 70 people were disembarked from a vessel.

UNHCR’s partner, the International Rescue Committee, IRC, helped to transport one injured man by ambulance to hospital, but he died en route. Two other people died at the site and two others were injured. The three fatalities were Sudanese nationals.

The remaining people who were disembarked were moved to detention.

“This incident underlines starkly that Libya is not a safe port for disembarkation,” said UNHCR’s Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean Situation, Vincent Cochetel. “There is a need for increased search and rescue capacity on the Mediterranean, including NGO vessels, in order to increase the likelihood of rescue operations leading to disembarkations in safe ports outside of Libya. There is also a need for more solidarity between Mediterranean coastal states.”

For more information on this topic, please contact:

• In Tunis Caroline Gluck [email protected]       +216 299 25506
• In Geneva Charlie Yaxley [email protected]  +41 79 580 8702