AFM suspect migrant rescue attempt in Malta’s region

Malta would have had to take responsibility for the 207 immigrants who arrived in Italy last week had a suspected rescue attempt been successful, The Times has learnt.

The Armed Forces of Malta strongly suspect that the Italy-flagged tanker Antignano tried to rescue the migrants when they were already in Malta’s search and rescue region (SRR).

According to the AFM, the boat was some 112 miles off Libya and 240 miles south of Malta – still 60 miles from the island’s SRR – when Rome’s coordination centre was alerted to its whereabouts.

Italy then instructed the tanker to meet the migrants and the tanker accompanied the boat northwards, providing it with shelter in the rough sea, even though the weather conditions were deteriorating.

Although a Libyan navy vessel was expected to go and pick up the migrants, it never turned up.

The AFM’s suspicion of an attempted rescue, raised by army commander Brig. Carmel Vassallo during a press conference on Friday, stemmed from two photos of the fishing vessel that the migrants were travelling in, taken from the Antignano.

The first image, taken at around midday on October 25, when the boat was well within Malta’s search and rescue area, shows the vessel undamaged. But another undated photo shows damage to the front of the boat.

“We think there were attempts to rescue the migrants but they failed,” Brig. Vassallo said, adding that the bad weather would have made the rescue very difficult.

Although the AFM was coordinating the operation at the time, it was never informed of any rescue attempts.

“At no time was RCC Malta informed that any rescue attempt was being made or had already been made,” the army said in reply to questions by The Times.

The AFM said although not all actions were subject to prior approval by the local rescue coordination centre, it was normal practice to keep it “closely informed” of all occurrences.

At the time the suspected rescue took place, the AFM patrol boat had not yet arrived on the scene. The army explained that the P61 reached the Antignano at around 7.30 p.m. on October 25 and started searching for the boat since the tanker had lost sight of it. The boat was spotted more than two hours later.

“Therefore, there was a substantial period in which the Antignano and the migrants’ boat navigated together in Malta’s search and rescue area before the P61 reached them and found the boat,” the AFM said.

Local authorities had every interest in knowing about any rescue attempts since Malta was highly likely to be the closest port of call at the time and would have been obliged to take the migrants.

The case has put Malta at the centre of harsh criticism by the Italian media, which suggested the island had abdicated its duties. This was strongly rebutted by the authorities.

“Malta took its responsibility seriously and was there to give assistance to the migrants,” Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici insisted.

Brig. Vassallo said an AFM patrol boat was dispatched to monitor the migrants as they continued to sail northwards under shelter provided by the Antignano. Because of the bad weather, the patrol boat continued to provide escort after they left Malta’s search and rescue area and entered Italy’s.

“We were more humanitarian than they tried to depict us,” Brig. Vassallo said, adding that the Italians only went out to collect the migrants at the last moment.

This contrasted with a comment made by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who was quoted saying Italy had abided by its duty and did not turn its back on the migrants.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici would not comment on his counterpart’s remark, simply saying he did not want to enter into any “polemics”.

Brig. Vassallo insisted the migrants refused to be rescued by the AFM, something that was corroborated by Antignano captain Mariano Adragna who told Italian media the migrants wanted to reach Italy.

“The migrants refused to go aboard the Maltese patrol boat. They did not want Malta’s help but wanted to reach Italy,” Capt. Adragna told L’Occidentale.