Libya confiscates 3 Italian fishing vessels, 21 on board
PALERMO. June 8. KAZINFORM Sicilian and Tunisians, 21 in total, are on board of the 3 Italian fishing boats confiscated by militaries, AGI said.
The fishing boats from Mazzara del Vallo (Boccia, Maestrale and Antonino Serrato) were fishing about 30 miles off the Libyan coast when they were approached by a pilot vessel and were obliged to land; to be, later, taken to Benghazi.
Italian diplomats in Libya are already working in the incident. This is the second time Sicilian fishing boats are confiscated, after Gaddafi's fall. Last November a boat from Mazara named "Twentytwo" was stopped and, subsequently, released a few days later. "I sopke to the ship owners and they are all worried,"said the president of the fishing guild of Mazara, Giovanni Tumbiolo, who is hoping for a prompt resolution.
Tumbiolo is in contact with the Libyan viceminister, Adnan jibril, due to some cooperation actions the Mazara fishing district is involved in with the countries of the Southern shore of the Mediterranean. "Besides an act of grace" to enable a prompt release of the three fishing boats, Tumbiolo believes that it would be expedient to "clarify the issue of territorial waters" with Libya.