A Libyan Coast Guard boat on Saturday, October 7, opened fire on a tanker they suspected was smuggling Libyan fuel.
A video released by the coast guard shows the Comoros-flagged oil products tanker Goeast being hit by 30mm rounds fired by the coast guard boat.
The tanker’s hull, tanks and engine room were severely damaged in the incident which took place near Bukhamash, west of Zuwarah.
The damaged vessel started listing immediately with several reports saying the tanker actually capsized. The service did not say what happened to the tanker’s crew.
The crew of the tanker Goeast reportedly refused to obey Coast Guard instructions when approached on Friday forcing the boat to shell the tanker in an action which was also intended to be a “message” for future fuel smugglers, according to a Libyan Coast Guard spokesman.