Ship Detained After Rescue Operation
Italian authorities have detained the Sea-Watch 5, a refugee rescue ship operated by the German non-governmental organization Sea-Watch, for 15 days and issued a fine of €7,500. The detention occurred on January 31, 2026, following a rescue operation on January 24, 2026, in international waters, where the vessel saved 18 people from distress at sea.
Disagreement Over Communication with Libyan Coastguard
The Italian authorities justified the detention by alleging that the Sea-Watch 5 crew refused to inform the Libyan coastguard of its rescue operation. However, Sea-Watch maintains that communicating with the Libyan coastguard would constitute a violation of international law. The organization stated that shortly before the rescue, Libyan actors attempted to intimidate the ship's crew in international waters and ordered them to leave the area, an instruction Sea-Watch deemed unfounded under international law on freedom of navigation. Sea-Watch spokeswoman Giulia Messmer commented, '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.'
Broader Context of Civilian Sea Rescue
This incident highlights ongoing tensions between Italian authorities and civilian search and rescue organizations operating in the Central Mediterranean. Sea-Watch is part of the Justice Fleet alliance, formed by 13 civilian search-and-rescue organizations on November 5, 2025, to collectively oppose attempts by the Italian state to compel them to communicate rescue operations to Libyan actors. These organizations argue that the so-called Libyan Coast Guard is not a legitimate rescue actor and has been involved in numerous incidents of violence, including shootings at rescue vessels and people fleeing. Italian courts have previously ruled that pushbacks to Libya are illegal under international law.
About the Sea-Watch 5
The Sea-Watch 5 is a German-flagged Offshore Supply Ship, also classified as an Oil service/PSV. Built in 2010, the vessel has an overall length of 58 meters and a width of 14 meters. Sea-Watch, the German organization operating the vessel, has been active in the Central Mediterranean since 2015, involved in rescuing thousands of people in distress at sea.
5 Comments
Michelangelo
Informing the coastguard is standard procedure. No exceptions.
Leonardo
On one hand, states have a right to manage their borders and expect adherence to maritime protocols. On the other, the refusal to communicate with a dangerous entity like the Libyan coastguard, as Sea-Watch claims, is a moral stance that can't be easily dismissed.
Raphael
Saving lives should always be the priority, not bureaucratic power plays.
Donatello
Sea-Watch's commitment to saving lives is commendable, but navigating international waters and state sovereignty is incredibly complex. There's a clear tension between humanitarian imperatives and national legal frameworks that needs urgent diplomatic resolution, not just fines.
Michelangelo
NGOs need to follow the rules, not make them up.