Footage released on Monday by a non-profit sea rescue group showed an overcrowded dinghy of migrants at the Mediterranean Sea as they were approached by what the NGO said was a Libyan coast guard patrol boat.

About 30 people were on the dinghy, four fell into the sea and one drowned, according to the German non-governmental organization Sea-Watch that witnessed what happened from its Seabird plane.

The migrants’ dinghy “was reached by a patrol boat from the so-called Libyan Coast Guard which came on scene to intercept them and bring them back to Libya,” said Giorgia Linardi, spokesperson for Sea-Watch.

“The boat tried to resist to the interception and to run away and due to the high waves, four people fell into the water... one person drowned under the eyes of our air crew.”

The migrants attempted to seek rescue on the nearby merchant ship Maridive, but were handed over by the crew to the Libyans, according to the NGO.

The Tripoli-based government and the Libyan coast guard didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Production by Silvia Stellacci