Judges at the European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that Italy couldn't be held liable for the actions of the Libyan Coast Guard, rejecting a case brought by a group of migrants rescued from the Mediterranean Sea in a fatal boat sinking in 2017.
The court in Strasbourg, France, declared the case inadmissible, finding Italy didn't have “effective control” of the expanse of waters off the coast of Tripoli where the small ship carrying around 150 people sank.
Twenty people died in the sinking. Around 45 survivors onboard the ship said they were taken to Tajura Detention Center in Tripoli where they were beaten and abused.
The judges found that the captain and crew of the Libyan vessel Ras Jadir had acted independently when they answered a distress signal in the early morning hours on Nov. 6, 2017.
Italy has supplied the Libyans with funding, vessels and training as part of an agreement to slow the numbers of migrants crossing the Mediterranean. The judges found, however, that this support didn't prove that “Italy had taken over Libya’s public-authority powers.”
A group of migrants was rescued by the humanitarian organization Sea Watch and were taken to Italy.
A ruling in favor of the 14 survivors who filed the complaint at the ECHR could have undermined international agreements made by several European Union countries with Libya, Turkey and others to prevent migrants from coming to European shores.
The ECHR handles complaints against the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. The intergovernmental organization isn't an EU institution and was set up after World War II to promote peace and democracy.
Libya isn't a member of the Council of Europe, so the court has no jurisdiction over the country’s actions.
Follow AP’s coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
FILE - View of the European Court of Human Rights Tuesday, April 9, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File)
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Jamarques Lawrence scored a career-high 27 points and Rienk Mast added 13 points and six rebounds Saturday to help Nebraska overcome a 16-point second-half deficit and extend major college basketball's longest winning streak to 20 games with an 83-77 victory at Indiana.
The Big Ten Conference co-leaders became the first Power Four team to start 16-0, opened conference play at 5-0 for the first time since 1965-66 and could soon ascend to their highest ranking in school history. Nebraska reached No. 8 in 1965-66.
The Cornhuskers also won five straight over the Hoosiers (12-4, 3-2), this one coming after facing their biggest halftime deficit all season at 39-30.
Lamar Wilkerson scored 32 points and made five 3-pointers to lead Indiana, which had won its previous four games under first-year coach Darian DeVries. Tucker DeVries, the coach's son, finished with 17 points and six rebounds.
The game was played less than 24 hours after Indiana advanced to its first national championship game in football, and fans arrived to Assembly Hall decked out in sweatshirts that read “Football School” and “Rose Bowl champions.” But the basketball team couldn't extend the celebration after closing the first half on a 12-2 spurt and opening the second half on a 10-3 run capped by Wilkerson's four-point play to make it 49-33 with 17:42 left.
Nebraska finally responded with consecutive 3-pointers from Sam Hoiberg, Lawrence and Pryce Sandfort before getting back-to-back layups to tie the score at 55. It took the lead for good when Sandfort's 3 made it 65-62, setting up the Cornhuskers' strong finish.
Sandfort had 12 points for the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska: Hosts Oregon on Tuesday.
Indiana: Will try to rebound Tuesday at No. 12 Michigan State.
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Nebraska forward Rienk Mast (51) shoots under the defense of Indiana forward Sam Alexis (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg, right, goes after loose ball against Indiana forward Tucker DeVries during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Indiana guard Nick Dorn (7) reacts to making a three-point shot against Nebraska during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Nebraska forward Berke Buyuktuncel, left, moves around Indiana forward Reed Bailey during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Indiana forward Reed Bailey, right behind, makes contact with Nebraska forward Braden Frager while shooting during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
