Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: One was killed, another injured in a raid by an Israeli drone on the city of Khiam in South Lebanon
London views possibility of setting fire to tanker in port of friendly country to Russia to damage port infrastructure, initiate an international probe: Moscow
One of London's scenarios involves setting up accident with 'undesirable' tanker in one of the bottlenecks of maritime communications: Russian foreign intelligence agency
London plans to organize major sabotage with tankers to declare transportation of Russian oil to international shipping: Russian foreign intelligence agency
UK intelligence agencies plan to use NATO allies to launch massive raid on 'Shadow Fleet': Russian foreign intelligence agency
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.

Four Tunisians arrested for piracy over migrant boat engine thefts

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 31 Jul 2023 20:43
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

Four Tunisians have been arrested in Italy on piracy charges, accused of seizing migrant boats in the central Mediterranean and taking their engines.

  • x
  • Migrants, left, are being rescued by volunteers of the Ocean Viking, a migrant search and rescue ship run by NGOs SOS Mediterranee and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFCR), Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. (AP)
    Migrants are being rescued by volunteers of the Ocean Viking, a migrant search and rescue ship run by NGOs SOS Mediterranee and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFCR), Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. (AP)

Four Tunisians have been arrested in Italy on piracy charges, accused of seizing migrant boats in the central Mediterranean and taking their engines, leaving the vessels adrift.

According to investigators, the four men would identify boats transporting asylum seekers to Europe and, with the assistance of other vessels, blockade them in international seas off the Tunisian coast before boarding and robbing the passengers of money and phones and the boat of its engine.

One migrant described an attack: “They cut us off course as if they wanted to ram us. Then they boarded us. They were armed with knives and threatened us that if we didn’t give them the engine they would hurt us. We had no choice.”

The top prosecutor in Agrigento, Sicily, Salvatore Vella, said officials had become increasingly aware of apparent engine thefts. "We noticed that half of the small iron boats recently used by migrants leaving Tunisia to reach Europe and rescued by the Italian coastguard lacked engines."

Read next: 15 bodies found after migrant boat capsized off Senegal's capital

“This evidence matched what witnesses among the asylum seekers had told us, that they were attacked by Tunisian men who robbed them and stole their engine," adding that "We gathered as much information as possible, and we intervened at sea, arresting the men who operated on a fishing boat.”

Related News

At least 68 dead after migrant boat capsizes off Yemen’s coast

South Sudan seeks sanctions relief in US deportation talks

What was on the boat?

On the boat, police discovered at least three stolen engines, as well as hundreds of euros and dozens of mobile phones. Because of the Montego Bay Convention, which permits all governments to intervene in the suppression of piracy on the high seas or in any other place outside the jurisdiction of any state, Italian police were permitted to carry out the arrests in international waters.

The Tunisians, who were apprehended on July 24, are being held in a Sicilian prison. Investigators are attempting to discover whether they were acting independently or on behalf of human traffickers.

Migrant crisis 

Migrants are attempting to traverse the Mediterranean Sea in perilous metal boats, making the journey much more hazardous. According to the UN, almost 20,000 people have died obn this route since 2014.

The vessels are mass-produced and soldered together. Asylum seekers claim that as soon as they reach the open sea, they begin to take on water. The repercussions for a boat's occupants are lethal if it also loses its engine.

Tunisia has eclipsed Libya as the primary migrant departure point. The maritime journey to Italy is the world's most dangerous, with NGOs describing it as a "liquid graveyard."

Read next: Six months grim toll: Over 900 migrant bodies recovered off Tunisia

On July 16, the EU approved a €1 billion (£860 million) accord with Tunisia to help curb irregular migration. Recently, Tunisia was accused of transporting hundreds of Sub-Saharan African migrants to a desert territory near the Libyan border.

Libyan border guards and humanitarian workers said they had rescued hundreds of migrants who had been abandoned in the desert by Tunisian authorities, with many left to perish in the intense heat.

  • Migrant Crisis
  • Tunisia
  • migrant boat

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS