Italy donates ships to Coast Guard Libya

rome - Italy has donated four refurbished patrol boats to Libya on Monday. This should enable the North African country to fight human traffickers and monitor their own waters, said Italian Minister Marco Minniti (Home Affairs) in the transfer of vessels.

Minniti promised to 'transfer over the next few weeks' six patrol boats to the United Nations-recognized government in Tripoli. About 90 crew members have been trained by the European Union.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about support for the Libyan coastguard. Libyan officials have already indicated that they need more equipment. Relief organizations find it undesirable that migrants be returned to Libya because the country would be too insecure.

Libya has been the starting point for hundreds of thousands of migrants who crossed the Mediterranean through Europe in the last few years. Many thousands of people did not survive the crossing.