Italy has launched an inquiry into a dramatic attempt by the Libyan coastguard to intercept a migrant boat in Malta's search-and-rescue zone last week.

It is the second inquiry launched into the incident that was captured on camera by humanitarian NGO Sea-Watch International, after the Libyan navy said it was investigating the case on Friday.

Maltese authorities have yet to react to the incident despite repeated requests to comment.

The Sea-Watch International footage shows a crew aboard a Libyan coast guard vessel opening fire in the direction of a small boat carrying migrants and trying to ram it several times.

It was shot on Wednesday from the NGO’s monitoring aircraft Seabird and shows what appears to be a number of dangerous manoeuvres by the Libyan vessel, in an apparent attempt to force the migrants back into Libyan waters. 

Sea-Watch said the incident occurred in Malta's search and rescue zone, while the patrol boat seen in the footage was reportedly supplied by Italy, according to international reports.

The investigation by Agrigento authorities - a first of the sort - was first reported by the Italian daily Avvenire.

The Sicilian prosecutors will investigate the Libyan officials for “attempted shipwreck” and will look into whether the incident put the lives of the migrants in danger.

Agrigento’s chief prosector Luigi Patronaggio told The Guardian that to continue the investigation he needed “authorisation from the Italian ministry of justice, given that the object of the proceeding is a foreign authority”.

It was shot on Wednesday from the NGO’s monitoring aircraft Seabird. Photo: Sea Watch

In May, the Council of Europe had warned that cooperating with the Libyan coast guard to return migrants to North Africa can put their lives and rights at risk.

Last year, Malta was involved in a controversial operation to return migrants to war-torn Libya during Easter.

Five people had died and seven went missing during the operation.

Government official Neville Gafà had said under oath that he had coordinated the pushback to Libya of 51 migrants following the instructions of the Office of the Prime Minister.