Sunday, 25th October 2009 - 14:43CET

Libyan warship to pick up migrants

A Libyan warship, the Al-Hani, is moving into the Malta Search and Rescue zone to pick up 200 migrants who have been drifting in a boat in rough seas since yesterday.

The boat is being assisted by the Italian motor tanker Antignano, which found the migrants 70 miles north of Benghazi in the Libyan zone yesterday evening.

An AFM spokesman yesterday denied Italian web media reports that Maltese patrol boats were involved in the operation, but said Malta Rescue Coordination Centre is being kept informed as a neighbouring SAR authority by their Italian counterparts. The spokesman stressed that the boat was pinpointed in the Libyan search and rescue region of responsibility and the operation was being coordinated by Italian authorities in conjunction with the Libyan authorities.

The alarm was raised by a satellite phone call from the boat to an official of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) late yesterday, and the boat's position was then pinpointed by satellite.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Saturday, November 21, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

T.gauci (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

Good news. the UNHCR plan is to make our European countries multi cultural not because they care about ones individual life. UNHCR your mission failed now go and cry some where else.

Sandro Pace (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

The immigrants are not even going to Libya. Latest reports in Italian media have it that the Libyan frigate never actually departed. The facts of this saga are that the Italians picked them up in the Libyan SAR, and brought them towards and into the Malta one, chosing the easy way out. Our government rightly refused. The Italians have an agreement with Libya, or dont they? We should not care what the Italian media say and we have not much control over that neither.

D Cardona (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

is it that easy to get the number of an official of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees ?

C. Farrugia (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

@ Antonia Delia. You mentioned " ...ending up in a Libyan jail". What do you or they expect? If one breaks the law then he should be ready to pay for it. Leaving a country illegally is against the law -- so is entering a country illegally. So if one does this then he should be ready to suffer the consequences of his action.

Carmel Camilleri (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

The Italian state media continue to play the Little Bad Malta card. Yesterday Rai 3 evening 8 o'clock news stated that the boat was sighted in 'acqua Maltese' (Maltese waters) and inferred that the migrants were sent back to Libya by the Maltese authorities. They even brought on a human rights spokeswoman to say that they were very worried about this. Seen in the light that due to the known precise location of the boat, Rai must have known that is was incorrect and that it was the Italians themselves who instigated the accord with Libya to take back immigrants, it takes some gall on their part, though not a surprise at all coming from such 'friends'

d. borg (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

I was disappointed about joseph muscat. Yesterday he mentioned all the problems facing Malta today but no mention at all of illegal immigration. I think that at the moment it is the most urgent problem we have. So thumbs down for the PL. This only means that under a PL govt the problem will remain.

Francis Bellizzi (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

Now illegal immigrants have access by cell phone straight to the United Nations. It`s a conspiracy! Malta has had more than it`s fair share of illegals. It`s about time the PN put the interests of the country first. We are the laughing stock of the EU as it is.

J.Spiteri (3 weeks, 5 days ago)

@John Azzopardi. You're absolutely right. But unfortunately, both PN and PL are too busy arguing between themselves that they are unaware of the REAL threats facing our country. That this group of illegal immigrants did not end in Malta is certainly not due to efforts of the local authorities, who are doing absolutely NOTHING to turn back these boatloads. Regrettably, we still depend on the Italian and Libyan patrols to stop illegals from reaching our shores, although their efforts are not always successful; there are always those who succeed in getting past the net! We must also not forget the sterling service of the local representatives of UNHCR and the JRS for their help in tackling this problem. I'm sure their "service " is very much appreciated by all !
@ Antonia Dalli. Shouldn't you say God help US ? Please open your eyes!!

Joseph Ellis (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

Why don't you guys read up a bit about the human rights situation in Eritrea before rushing off to print ? Not to mention the exploitation of these migrants, sexual and non, that takes place in Libya. I wonder on what authority the ever loquacious Louise Vella blames UNHCR for the refugee problem. It is sad to see that our long tradition of solidarity and hospitality has become so irremediably compromised by the paranoia and xenophobia of a vociferous minority

c.caruana (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

Libya is hell...we don't have to send them back!! shame on all the governments that are not taking serious action!! people are dying!!

S. Vella (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

Where are they going to end up? anyone knows?

John Azzopardi (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

same story over and over. malta has had enough. Do you hear Mr. PL and PN. The people had enough. Now put a policy in place for the good of our country to turn back all illegal migrants.

D Muscat (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

@ A dalli If they broke Libyan laws, why shouldn't they be prosecuted and end up in jail? The truth is, they were safe in Libya. They set off on their journey with the aim of being rescued. This indirectly put them, and those rescuing them, at risk in the rough seas. Using the rescue services this way is a serious abuse. It is similar to someone in Mellieha phoning emergency, for an ambulance, to go free of charge to Ta' Xbiex .

M.Bezzina (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

@antonia Dalli Why dont you offer them yr house the next group due to land here?Because they will not be comfortable in the detention centre!!

john micallef (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

@ a dalli if you are in favour go and give a helping hand in their country if you are afraid of libya.

Jason Coleiro (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

@M.Bishop A satellite phone costs only 200 euros in Libya. and to Ms.Dalli the cost for them is 1000 us dollars.I know this by fact.

colin stanley (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

First of all I would like to apologie to Dr. Fabri. for my commet on friday,it was uncalled for.to day the PL had a demonstration to talk about the problems facing the Maltese, was there any mention about the immigration problem?

Antonia Dalli (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

Migrants pay a thousand euros for their journey... in return they are provided with life jackets, a satellite phone and a rickety boat. What's not fair M Bishop? Why not get on one of these boats next time you want to travel to France? You'll get a satellite phone free - why not?! Victor Pulis: Lucky for us but not lucky for them... have you ever thought of the prospect of ending up in a Libyan jail? That's where these 200 souls are destined for. God help them!

victor pulis (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

Luckily for us no AFM patrol boats were involved otherwise they would have ended up in Malta!

Nigel Lawrence (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

@M Bishop

But it looks like their sat phone didn't do them any good this time.

As for affordability, you will notice alot of these people come ashore wearing "famous name" jackets and other kit. They are better off than you think.

louise vella (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

UNHCR is a big part of the problem.

M Bishop (3 weeks, 6 days ago)

This is not fair. The last time I checked my income I could not afford a satellite phone, yet these supposedly poor, illegal migrants have one.

Libyan warship to pick up migrants

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