EU officials lament move by member states of recalling ships taking part in Operation Sophia

European Union officials lamented Wednesday a move by member countries to recall their ships taking part in an EU naval mission patrolling the Mediterranean Sea for migrants attempting the dangerous water crossing from North Africa.

France 24 quotes European Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said that “without naval assets, the operation will not be able to effectively implement its mandate.”

Aid group Doctors Without Borders accused European countries of being “irresponsible and reckless” in withdrawing the ships.

“For the vulnerable people trying to flee Libya, their choices are increasingly limited to being stuck in detention centers or dying at sea,” said Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui, a humanitarian affairs adviser for the group.

She said Libya ‘s coast guard has in the past failed to respond to distress calls and alleged that rescued migrants are taken back to Libya and held in “inhumane detention centers.”

“It shows again that the EU considers it acceptable to let people die at sea as deterrence for migration,” she said.

Via France 24 / AP