A group of 81 Libyan Coast Guard trainees and 5 supervisors left the country on Wednesday to start training in the open sea as part of EU Operation Sophia program.

The group left from Misrata Port onboard the Italian Navy's San Giorgio vessel. The training program is expected to last 4 months at sea to promote skills of Coast Guard personnel in conducting rescue operations and intercepting illegal boats.

On Tuesday, the German humanitarian group Sea-Watch urged EU authorities to halt the training program following an alleged attack on migrants by Libyan Coast Guard. The attack was denied by Libyan authorities and the EU decided to go ahead with the training program.