In a new report, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has condemned restrictions on rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean imposed by legislation promoted by the Italian government.
"Due to restrictions provided for by the Piantedosi Decree, the number of people rescued by the (MSF-run rescue-ship) Geo Barents has drastically decreased from 4,646 in 2023 to 2,278 in 2024", the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said in a report published on June 12. The charity was referring to Italian legislation that, since January 2023, has imposed stringent regulations on the operations of NGO-run migrant rescue ships in the Mediterranean.
The report, titled Mortal Maneuvers: Obstructionism and Violence in the Central Mediterranean, focuses on rescue operations carried out by Geo Barents after the legislation’s approval. Under these rules, NGO-run vessels must request a port of safety immediately after conducting a rescue -- rather than remaining at sea to assist others -- or face heavy fines and the risk of their ships being impounded.
Authorities also started to allocate ports of safety to NGO ships that are some distance from their position after making the rescues.
"Despite this, the overall number of hospitalizations increased by 14 percent, in particular urgent ones, showing that a significantly higher percentage of the people rescued were in a critical state and needed life-saving specialized treatment," after disembarkation, MSF went on to say.
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The data in the report
The report also provided data on interference from Libyan authorities. "If in 2023, MSF witnessed incidents involving Libyan operators during 38 percent of the Geo Barents's operations, this percentage increased by 65 percent in 2024", continued the report.
Between 2023 and 2024, MSF documented 30 confirmed or suspected interceptions of migrant boats by Libyan vessels.
Since Geo Barents began operations in June 2021 through to December 2024, it has reportedly rescued 12,675 people, carried out 190 operations, recovered the bodies of 24 people, organized the medical evacuation of 18 individuals, and assisted in the birth of a baby on board.
Following the introduction of the decree, Geo Barents was fined four times, leading to 160 days of forced detention. Between December 2022 and December 2024, the restrictive measures forced the vessel to sail an additional 64,966 kilometers and spend 163 extra days at sea to reach distant northern Italian ports, the report noted.
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Legislation blocks search and rescue operations, denounces MSF
"The Piantedosi Decree is an unprecedeted structured and institutionalized mechanism to block activities to search for and rescue people in danger," stressed Juan Matias Gil, who is in charge of MSF's search and rescue operations at sea.
"The impact of these sanctions has worsened over the years and our ship's rescue ability has been significantly reduced and compromised," added Gil.
MSF asked Italian authorities to "stop hindering rescue operations at sea and impose sanctions on NGO-run search and rescue vessels" and urged "the EU and its member States to immediately suspend financial and material aid to Libyan Coast Guards and to stop intentionally incentivizing the forced repatriation of people to Libya."
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