Many migrants unable to leave tanker

Only a third of the migrants onboard the tanker that rescued them on Sunday were brought ashore yesterday because of the rough seas.

The tanker they were on sailed closer to Anchor Bay in the morning to try and facilitate the transfer onto two military boats but only 58 of the 161 migrants onboard were brought ashore as the heavy waves would not allow the operation to be completed.

The migrants, originally 162, on Sunday sent a distress signal by satellite phone to the army when they were 59 nautical miles south of the island. A patrol boat was dispatched but it eventually instructed the tanker, which was nearby, to take them aboard because of the bad weather. In fact, the weather even prevented the vessel from entering the port and was forced to anchor out at sea on Hurds Bank.

An attempt was made on Monday to transfer the immigrants from the tanker onto boats but had to be called off because of the bad weather. A pregnant woman was airlifted to hospital in the evening with the military helicopter braving gale force winds.

A spokesman for the army said the tanker's captain reported that the pregnant migrant had complained of abdominal pain. He said she had also been injured during a stampede onboard the tanker.

Since its arrival, the tanker couldn't receive any supplies, including blankets, despite its desperate requests.

Sources said Nicomedes Ruan, the tanker's captain, asked for a tugboat or larger boats than the two used during the migrant's transfer.

He also informed the tanker's owners that the sailors were exhausted and he was worried about their health.

Captain Ruan reported that the tanker couldn't accommodate that many people and couldn't provide them with the necessary medical assistance and supplies.

Winds on Monday reached gale force and they only calmed down yesterday afternoon. The wind is expected to gradually drop to between force five and six today.

kbugeja@timesofmalta.com