Libyan interference in rescue may have caused 30 migrant deathsA German-based humanitarian group said on Tuesday up to 30 African migrants may have died because of what it called "aggressive" Libyan interference in a rescue operation outside Libyan territorial waters. A spokesman for the Libyan naval forces in Tripoli said on Saturday its crew boarded the rubber dinghy but denied that the migrant boat was attacked. Libyan naval forces said the incident occurred in Libyan territorial waters, which end 12 nautical miles from the coast. Neugebauer said the Libyan coast guard vessel also carried out aggressive manoeuvres to separate the Sea-Watch rescue ship from the migrant boat, preventing crew from handing out life vests and flotation devices. Communication failed due to language barriers, although the Libyan forces shouted "migrants," and "out, out," gesturing at Sea-Watch to leave the area, the group's report said.

Source: Libya Today October 25, 2016 15:11 UTC