Italy Detains Rescue Ship ‘Humanity 1’ Again Amid Controversial Operations
Italy has once again detained the humanitarian vessel ‘Humanity 1’ after it conducted a rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship, operated by the NGO SOS Humanity, arrived at the port of Trapani on February 13, 2026. Authorities have ordered the ship to remain in the port for 60 days and imposed a fine of €10,000. This incident follows the vessel’s recent mission where it rescued 33 migrants and recovered two deceased individuals. The Italian government claims the crew violated regulations on the high seas, while SOS Humanity argues that they did not contact Libya’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) due to the agency’s record of serious human rights abuses against asylum seekers.
Rescue Operations and Detentions in Ortona
In a separate incident, the Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has detained the ‘Humanity 1’ in the port of Ortona. This action came after the crew rescued 160 individuals in the central Mediterranean but failed to notify Libyan authorities of their operation. The ship docked at the Abruzzo port on December 1 with 85 migrants, including several unaccompanied minors, on board. These migrants, originating from countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco, and Sudan, were rescued from a wooden double-decker boat that had departed from Libya on November 26. Upon arrival, local authorities coordinated procedures to identify the passengers and assess their health, and the migrants were later distributed across different regions as per the interior ministry’s directive. Following the disembarkation, the ship was prohibited from setting sail.
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Legal Challenges and Court Rulings on Detention Practices
The detention of the ‘Humanity 1’ has sparked legal challenges, with SOS Humanity winning a significant court case against the Italian government. On June 17, 2025, the Italian Court of Appeal in Catanzaro upheld a previous ruling from the Crotone Court, declaring that the EU-funded Libyan Coast Guard is not a legitimate search and rescue (SAR) entity in the Mediterranean. The court affirmed that SOS Humanity had acted within international law during its rescue missions, deeming the detention of the ‘Humanity 1’ unlawful. Following this ruling, SOS Humanity has initiated legal action against the Italian government for damages resulting from the ship’s unlawful detentions. The Italian Ministries of the Interior, Transport, and Finance have opted not to appeal the ruling. This legal victory adds to previous successes by SOS Humanity, including a March 2024 case where the Civil Court of Crotone ruled similarly, reinforcing that instructions from the Libyan Coast Guard must not be followed due to their illegitimacy.
