The Italian fishing boat had been seized in the night, about 90 kilometers north-west of Misurata, by a tugboat apparently belonging to the Libyan government forces.
Once the existence of the necessary security conditions has been verified and with prior information from the Judicial Authority, in close coordination with the captain of the vessel and in connection with the command of the "Mare Sicuro" naval device, navy personnel intervened to acquire the vessel control.
During the action of the boarding team, a crew member, of Tunisian nationality, in trying to facilitate the ascent aboard one of the operators, clumsily activated the weapon of the military, causing the accidental explosion of some shots of 'weapon. The bullets did not hit any crew member or boarding team, but shrapnel injured the Tunisian seaman slightly on the instep.
The operational team acquired control of the vessel by securing the vessel, without any reaction from the only Libyan military on board. Currently the Tunisian seaman and the Libyan military have been transferred to the Navy unit.
The vessel is heading for national territorial waters.
Operation Mare Sicuro was launched by the Government, following the worsening of the Libyan crisis, to protect communication lines, commercial vessels and to counter possible terrorist threats.
Source: Major State of Defense
