Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard (2018)

Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard (2018) poster

On 6 November 2017, a rescue vessel operated by the NGO Sea Watch (SW) and a patrol vessel of the Libyan coastguard were both en route towards a migrants’ boat, in distress in international waters. The boat, a few hours out of Tripoli, was carrying between 130 and 150 passengers. A confrontational rescue operation ensued, and while SW was able to rescue fifty-nine passengers, bringing them to safety in Italy, at least twenty died before or during the incident, while forty-seven passengers were ultimately ‘pulled back’ to Libya, where several faced grave human rights violations – including being detained, beaten, and sold to another captor who tortured them to extract ransom from their families. -FA

Director: Forensic Architecture, Forensic Oceanography
Runtime: 29 min
Release Date:
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Forensic Architecture, Forensic Oceanography

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard about?
On 6 November 2017, a rescue vessel operated by the NGO Sea Watch (SW) and a patrol vessel of the Libyan coastguard were both en route towards a migrants’ boat, in distress in international waters. The boat, a few hours out of Tripoli, was carrying between 130 and 150 passengers. A confrontational rescue operation ensued, and while SW was able to rescue fifty-nine passengers, bringing them to safety in Italy, at least twenty died before or during the incident, while forty-seven passengers were ultimately ‘pulled back’ to Libya, where several faced grave human rights violations – including being detained, beaten, and sold to another captor who tortured them to extract ransom from their families. -FA
Who directed Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard?
Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard was directed by Forensic Architecture, Forensic Oceanography.
How long is Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard?
Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard has a runtime of 29m (29 minutes).