Migrants Hijack Cargo Ship

By Fox News. Migrants hijacked a cargo ship that had rescued them in the Mediterranean Sea, forcing the crew to set a course for Europe, the governments of Italy and Malta said Wednesday.

Authorities in both countries vowed to keep the vessel, identified as the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1, out of their territorial waters.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said the tanker had rescued some 120 people, and described the incident as “the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants” as alleged hijackers.

“Poor castaways, who hijack a merchant ship that saved them because they want to decide the route of the cruise,” Salvini, who heads the anti-migrant League party, was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency.

Salvini said weather conditions in the Mediterranean were not good; it was unclear if the tanker would end up approaching Malta or Italy’s Lampedusa island. But he had a message for the pirates: “Forget about Italy.” (Read more from “Migrants Hijack Cargo Ship” HERE)

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Rescued Migrants Hijack Merchant Ship Near Libya – Reports

By BBC News. Migrants have hijacked a merchant vessel that rescued them off Libya’s coast, ordering the crew to head towards Malta, reports say.

More than 100 migrants aboard the cargo ship are said to have acted after being told they would be taken back to Libya. . .

The EU says the decision to suspend Operation Sophia in September follows a request by Italy.

The mission was put in place four years ago to deter people smugglers and rescue migrants trying to reach Europe by boat. Tens of thousands have been saved.

Lately, the mission has largely targeted smuggling networks as the number of people making the crossing dropped sharply following a controversial deal between the EU and Libya. (Read more from “Rescued Migrants Hijack Merchant Ship Near Libya – Reports” HERE)

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