Two other humanitarian organizations are temporarily suspending migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean. By doing so, they join Doctors Without Borders, who also feel threatened by Libyan Coast Guard, Reuters reported.

Save the Children and CI said their teams can no longer work safely because of the hostile attitude of the Libyan authorities. Doctors Without Borders pointed out the same considerations when they said would stop operations in the Mediterranean.

"We leave a deadly gap in the Mediterranean Sea," said the founder of the German Sea World organization Michael Bush Hoyer. According to him, Libya has made a "clear threat" to NGOs who are operating in the area around its coast.

In recent weeks, the tensions between humanitarian organizations and the Italian government have risen, as the Italian cabinet suggests that some non-governmental groups facilitate smuggling of people. This month, Italy launched a naval mission in Libyan waters to train and support Libya's coastguard.

Almost 600,000 migrants have arrived in Italy in the last 4 years. Most have left Libya with unreliable vessels run by smugglers. More than 13,000 migrants have died while trying to cross the sea. Charities have managed to save more than a third of all migrants who sailed off their shores. In 2014 this share was less than 1%

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