12 migrants presumed dead

Twelve immigrants are presumed dead after a search and rescue operation for survivors of a capsized boat south-west of Malta yesterday proved to be in vain.

Another 12 persons, including a minor, were rescued and a corpse was recovered from the sea by a Tunisian search vessel on Sunday after yet another tragic attempt by migrants to cross into Europe.

The boat capsized on Sunday some 115 nautical miles in seas whipped up by force 5 winds.

A Tunisian coast guard boat took the surviving illegal immigrants on board and these were taken to Tunis for further medical assistance and investigations. The immigrants said they had left from Tunis and were aiming to reach the island of Lampedusa before encountering rough seas. Luckily, a Tunisian fishing boat was in the vicinity.

The Armed Forces' Rescue Coordination Centre helped coordinate the search and rescue mission since the incident took place in Maltese waters. The AFM informed all vessels navigating in the area to keep a sharp lookout for any possible survivors.

On Sunday, Tunisian vessels and Italian aircraft monitored the area.

The issue of illegal immigration has become a priority for the EU, even if the promised joint patrols in the Mediterranean have been delayed amid Libya's reluctance to collaborate. European Commission president José Manuel Barroso last weekend said that more people have died between Africa and European coasts than in the Lebanon.

"The massive arrival of illegal immigrants to the EU, mainly to the Spanish, Italian and Maltese coasts, is a European problem and requires a European effort," he said.