Search for missing boat proves futile

The Armed Forces of Malta said yesterday they are looking for a Maltese-registered fishing vessel with five persons on board.

Worried relatives reported on Saturday evening that the boat, the Simshar, was overdue.

A Marsaxlokk fisherman said that since the boat is less than 12 metres long - it is in fact 11.8 metres long - it is not equipped with a VMS - vessel monitoring system - which allows the Fisheries Department to keep track of a vessel's movements.

The missing boat is owned by Simon Bugeja, who is in his late 30s. On board with him are his father, in his 60s, and his 11-year-old son, a fisherman said. They were fishing for swordfish.

The fisherman is hopeful that the boat will eventually be found since Mr Bugeja is known to be a very skilful mariner. "He will not give up easily," the Marsaxlokk fisherman said.

The AFM Operations' Centre at Luqa Barracks was informed about the missing boat at 7.20 p.m. on Saturday. Immediate family members of the crew of the Simshar said that the vessel was expected back to port on Friday evening. The boat had left Malta last Monday.

The AFM said that a communications search was immediately launched and all shipping was alerted.

The Tunisian and Libyan authorities were also informed and asked to provide any information they may have regarding the fishing vessel.

The AFM Air Wing's Islander aircraft has already conducted two searches, the first covering an area of 2,100 square nautical miles and the second, yesterday, covering a further 1,800 square nautical miles.

Attempts to contact the fishing vessel by means of VHF marine radio and satellite telephone proved fruitless, the AFM added.

The search is expected to continue today.