UNHCR shocked by tragedy off Malta

The United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, L. Craig Johnstone has expressed shock at the reported loss of some 70 migrants after their dinghy capsized off Malta. Eight survivors were brought to Malta yesterday.

“I am deeply saddened by this latest tragedy," Mr Johnstone said in statement in Geneva. "This terrible loss of life highlights the urgent need for a concerted international effort aimed at addressing the root causes of migration and at offering international protection to those in need."

The UNHCR meanwhile urged the Maltese authorities to provide medical care to the survivors and to release them from detention because they were badly traumatised by what they had gone through.

It said that its Malta representative had spoken with some of the rescued migrants, who included a 15-year-old boy. They said that their dinghy set off from the coast of Libya last Thursday with 78 passengers on board, mainly of Somali, Eritrean and Sudanese origin.

On Monday, the boat capsized in rough seas. Eight migrants managed to hang on, but the rest – including four women, three of them pregnant – were swept away and are missing.

On Tuesday night, the known survivors were picked up by a Maltese fishing boat, which transferred them to a Maltese patrol boat. They were brought to Malta yesterday.

The UNHCR said they were in poor physical and it believed that these deeply traumatised people should not be held in detention any longer.

"They should be released into medical care and given adequate support, including proper counselling."

The high commission noted that three bodies had so far been spotted in the sea and said that if no survivors were found, this incident would rank as one of the deadliest losses at sea involving people trying to reach Europe from North Africa.