Video: Migrants disembarkation cancelled again
An attempt to disembark more migrants from a tanker which rescued them off Malta last Sunday had to be called off again this morning because the swell remained too dangerous for small launches to proceed alongside.
A group of 58 of the migrants were disembarked onto AFM launches off Anchor Bay yesterday, but a strong swell prevented the operation from continuing safely.
With sea conditions off Grand Harbour having moderated, the tanker Overseas Primar this morning moved to a point off Grand Harbour and made another attempt to transfer the migrants.
A pregnant migrant was airlifted from the tanker on Monday night.
The tanker had rescued 162 migrants from a 10-metre boat, 59 miles south of Malta.
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Charles Sammut
Jan 14th 2009, 15:41
@ Carmel Camilleri
"You can find your answer in the Search and Rescue Convention (SAR) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) conventions, which Malta has been party to for decades."
This Convention is being grossly abused. The motives for which it is being used are certainly not those for which it was constituted. It is being used for illegal and subversive activities which undermine the social and material security of our country.
This is tantamount to an invasion of a country and an invasion is an agression. In this scenarion, the rules of the game change.
These grave circumstances render the UN with its useless conventions, treaties, resolutions and other time and money wasting exercises irrelevant. We have the current example of Israel, a country which puts the interest of its citizens above everything else. Has Israel been penalised for ignoring UN resolutions? No. One may or may not agree with Israel's actions but that is besides the point here.
The point is that Malta is under threat and has been left to fend for itself. The political class has abdicated its responsibility towards the people. What next?
lgalea
Jan 14th 2009, 13:58
Carmel Camilleri
Gonzipn can change the SOLAS convention because a country can present amendments if it is being disproportionately burdened on against its interests. If the other countries do not agree it may also renounce it for no state is bound to suffer damage to itself in the interests of others.
Furthermore the SOLAS convention was not intended to protect those who knowingly put themselves in danger, but those who though were prudent, find themselves accidentally in danger.
The same goes for the Refugee Convention which can be renounced by any State Party.
The refugee Conventiion was not meant to provide security for illegal immigrats, but for genuine refugees.
The eu is to blame because when the MAltese Government had ratified the convention it had made a number of reservations among them that of only accepting refugees from europe, but the eu made our lackey EFApn government renounce to the reservations because the eu petty dictators knew that we will be their southern frontier and will lump the illegal immigrats instead of europe itself.
That is why the illegal immigrats are being allowed to remain in Malta, to play lackey to them and the eu.
P Debono
Jan 14th 2009, 12:46
I hope we give our comedy politicians (both Labour and PN) an answer in the June elections.
Kenneth Galea
Jan 14th 2009, 12:24
@Edwin Mifsud
Dr Gonzi and CMB continue to defy mother nature Edwin. Mother nature is telling them to take the lot back to Libya or Yemen where they set sail in the first place. But Dr Gonzi and CMB choose to go against the will of the majority of the Maltese people.
Where are the do-gooders and the ones who play the Saints on here? Could you please take these illegals and put them up in your homes because the centres are full up. Come on show us you really care for them. It is an opportunity to prove yourselves NOW!
a. sciberras
Jan 14th 2009, 12:04
what a circus! let's hope that they did not disrupt grand harbour operations as well! it is all going from taxpayer's money!
Edwin Mifsud
Jan 14th 2009, 11:28
Is Mother Nature trying to send some sort of message to our MP and MEPs?
Carmel Camilleri
Jan 14th 2009, 10:57
@ lgalea
You can find your answer in the Search and Rescue Convention (SAR) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) conventions, which Malta has been party to for decades.
These were drafted under the auspices of the United Nations, and your vote or gonzipn can change them for that matter.
Joseph Buhiagar
Jan 14th 2009, 10:55
The ship should sail on to the next safe port - Sicily, Italy. It would take less than a day to reach Sicily - less than the three days these illegals and the crew of the ship have been spending in inhumane and degrading conditions. These are very human beings we are talking about.
Mario Said
Jan 14th 2009, 10:47
Most people seem to assume that Gonzi or CMB drive past Marsa at 8am every morning and see for themselves the hundreds of illegals apparently doing nothing but staring at cars as they drive past (do illegals stand there waiting for someone to give them a job for the day illegally?).
Well, Gonzi and CMB don't seem to drive past Marsa at 8am like us poor tax-paying voting mortals. To them, it's just another day in some cosy office or at some expensive and exclusive EU tea-party, thus the silence and the hopeless inaction. Don't expect them to rub elbows with the illegals once they're thrown out of office either.
Kenneth Galea
Jan 14th 2009, 10:15
Where are you going to put these illegal immigrants Dr Gonzi or rather CMB??? Are you going to let out the people who are in detention to make space for them??? We do not have a clue who these people in detention are but according to you and the UNHCR it is deemed safe for these people to roam the streets of Malta.
We reached saturation point but nothing is done about it. Dear commentators remember what you need to do come the June MEP elections. A vote for both PN and PL is a vote in favour of this illegal influx!!!!
George Xuereb
Jan 14th 2009, 10:08
here we go again. I cant stand this racket any longer.
lgalea
Jan 14th 2009, 10:07
Why were they not transferred to Libya by the ship itself Gonzipn?
You shall get our answer on our vote because that's the only way you politicants understand.