THE European Union-supported Libyan coastguard threatened to arrest the crew of a civilian-run refugee rescue ship in international waters today.

The Sea-Watch 3 returned to the central Mediterranean on Monday, its first mission in the region since Italy detained it for four months for apparent safety failings.

In a conversation between Sea Watch 3’s captain and the coastguard, the ship was ordered to leave — or it would be forced to leave and the crew arrested.

Sea-Watch, the German organisation that operates the ship, insists its is in international waters and has every right to be there.

“They falsely claim to have jurisdiction over the Libyan search-and rescue (SAR) zone, although it is just their area of responsibility to save lives,” the charity said.

“Instead of fulfilling their responsibility to secure people‘s lives in the Libyan SAR zone, the so-called Libyan coastguard threatens to ‘take every available means’ to force us to leave.

“This is a serious violation of the [United Nations’] Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“If there wasn’t a European interest in protecting the systematic violation of international law at sea by Libyan authorities, this would lead to a diplomatic crisis.

“The relevant German authorities are informed.”

At least 57 people lost their lives in a shipwreck off the Libyan coast on Monday near Khums.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said that survivors told its staff in Libya that 20 women and two children were among those who lost their lives.

“Yet another tragedy highlights the immediate need for state-led SAR capacity in this dangerous route,” the IOM said on Monday.