Migrant rescues off Libya encourage traffickers, says EU border agency chief
Fabrice Leggeri warns against supporting criminal networks and traffickers in Libya, with NGOs carrying out 40% of recent rescue operations at sea
Berlin — The head of EU border agency Frontex on Monday criticised charities that rescue migrants off Libya, arguing that they encourage the traffickers who profit from the dangerous Mediterranean crossings. Such rescue operations "should be re-evaluated", Fabrice Leggeri told Germany’s Die Welt daily, also accusing the groups of not effectively cooperating with security agencies against human traffickers. Leggeri said 40% of recent rescue operations at sea off the North African country "were carried out by non-government organisations". He said that under maritime law everyone at sea has a duty to rescue vessels and people in distress. "But we must avoid supporting the business of criminal networks and traffickers in Libya through European vessels picking up migrants ever closer to the Libyan coast," said the director of Warsaw-based Frontex. "This leads traffickers to force even more migrants onto unseaworthy boats with insufficient water and fuel than in previous years." Frontex ...
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