NGO: ‘Malta refuses to order rescue’ for 60 people on 2 boats

Alarm Phone has accused Malta of refusing to order rescue for around 60 people on two boats in distress in its search and rescue area.

A merchant vessel and NGO ship #LifeSupport had offered assistance but Malta refused to order a rescue operation, Alarm Phone said.

The NGO said “Malta’s non-assistance risks 60 lives”, pointing out that the weather was deteriorating quickly and rescue was needed immediately.

Update 11:50 | Maltese authorities eventually ordered to intervene, and the two boats in distress were rescued by merchant vessels, Alarm Phone said.

Bulk carrier ‘Triton Wind I’ and container ship ‘Vassilis A’ then set course for Malta.

Update 19:30 | In the late afternoon, the migrants were transferred to AFM patrol boats, which brought them to Marsaxlokk.

UNHCR representatives watched the people being ushered into Detention Service vans.

Former soldier: ‘AFM instructed not to rescue’

On Saturday, a former AFM soldier has claimed on Italian TGCOM24 that Malta directs its forces not to rescue migrants in difficulty.

The former member of the AFM’s Maritime Squadron said it dispatched patrol boats only to follow vessels on their way to Italy, so that they can be “lost in Europe”.

The Mediaset channel also aired an excerpt of a purported telephone conversation between the NGO Sea-Watch and the AFM.

A Maltese officer can be heard saying “I am sorry, we do not speak with NGOs” before hanging up the phone.

The Maltese authorities have continuously denied the existence of a plan to systematically ignore emergency calls.

However, only one migrant has been brought to the islands by Maltese authorities since the beginning of the year.