Italy's hard-right interior minister Matteo Savini on Thursday deplored attempts by German charity Lifeline to rescue 300-400 migrants in the Mediterranean, an operation allegedly taking place in Libyan waters.
"This is the umpteenth, very serious violation by a charity rescue vessel in Libyan waters. Enough is enough" Salvini wrote on Facebook.
Lifeline tweeted on Thursday that it needed help from Italian coastguard and merchant ships in the area with the rescue operation.
In a later tweet, the charity said a Libyan coastguard vessel was sailing towards the migrants, warning: "We expect professional behaviour and that the Libyan asset respects international law!"
Charity ships are barred from rescuing migrants under a controversial 2017 code of conduct brought in by Salvini's predecessor, Marco Minniti, a member of the centre-left government that ruled Italy for the past five years.
