But there is more to it. As Triage’s Scientific Director Sergio Giangregorio explained, “Italian Marina Militare’ Operational Raider Group (GOI[1]) – who has taken part to the operation – “are specialized in rescuing Italian personnel in hostile territory. The GOI has particular rules of engagement and is deployed to carry out lethal or rescue operations. They are kept ready-to-go on San Giorgio vessel and intervene to rescue Italian personnel in case of a crisis. Helicopters leave the vessel and get them on the target usually performed before dawn, and then they rescue those who are in danger”.

“In every theatre of war, the COMSUBIN’s units are ready to be deployed to carry out this kind of operations”. At Varigiano base (La Spezia) “primary targets, training and tactics of intervention are established and then the men get boarded”. “The ship drops the anchor and waits; in case of emergency, GOI intervenes”. “Two helicopters are usually deployed while a third one (called unità di salvamento in Italian) stays on the ship and intervenes if backup are needed”.

Since Italy has relevant economic interests in Libya, such as ENI’s Greenstream pipeline, these “naval operations are a stratagem to operate legally in Libyan waters” to protect both Italian interests and personnel.