Sea-Watch 5 captain investigated for alleged collusion with migrant smugglers

Italian authorities have opened an investigation into the captain of the German NGO Sea-Watch 5 for alleged complicity in aggravated illegal immigration. The probe centers on a series of rescues conducted in May in the Mediterranean Sea. Newly obtained aerial footage, currently in the hands of Italian justice, reportedly shows the Sea-Watch 5 transferring migrants from a boat controlled by suspected smugglers. This boat then returned to Libya after the transfer was complete.

The video, captured by a Frontex aircraft on May 11, approximately 45 nautical miles northeast of Tripoli, shows the Sea-Watch 5 interacting with a fast, rigid boat powered by two powerful engines. This vessel is described as being worth tens of thousands of euros and is reportedly controlled by five masked men in paramilitary attire. This contrasts with the smaller, inflatable dinghies or fishing boats typically highlighted in the NGO's communications.

A European security source specializing in Libya described the images as "very rare." The footage raises questions about the line between humanitarian rescue and potential collusion with smuggling networks operating in the Mediterranean. The investigation aims to clarify the circumstances of these rescues and the nature of the interaction between the Sea-Watch vessel and the boat suspected of being operated by smugglers.