Update 2: AFM rescues 76 migrants off Malta
Video: Alan Adami
Updated 4.53 p.m: An AFM patrol boat has rescued 76 migrants found on a 15-metre boat south east of Malta.
The migrants include eight women, one of whom is pregnant. A man (and not a boy as previously reported) died on the boat and was thrown into the sea.
The migrants are from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Bangladesh, and Chad. Some also said they are from Canada! They are thought to be bluffing.
The presence of the boat was reported to the Maltese authorities by Nato yesterday.
A Maltese military aircraft located the boat this morning about 75 miles off Malta and a patrol boat was deployed to the area. It was established that the boat was in distress and the migrants needed rescue.
The AFM said the boat appeared to have left from Misurata, Libya, on Saturday.
The migrants, some of them in poor health, were transferred from their boat to the AFM patrol boat, which returned to the AFM Maritime Base at Haywharf at 4.45 p.m
Just under 1,000 migrants arrived on a packed fishing boat in Sicily early yesterday after also having left fro the Misurata area.
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Mr Alex Buds
Jun 2nd 2011, 20:06
We take in 76, while Italy takes in 1000 - that means as a percentage of population we are taking in many times more than them....
Mr John Azzopoardi
Jun 2nd 2011, 01:15
Give them a week's time shelter and then send them to their home countries. WE cannot be burdurned with these people. We cannot solve all the migrant's problems. That problem is not ours to take care of. We are too small for any more migrants. Period.
Kenneth Galea
Jun 1st 2011, 19:00
All can be deported yesterday instead of tomorrow going by the Nationalities of these illegal immigrants. They are not in need of any humanitarian protection these illegals taking into account they come from the countries listed above.
So Carm have you started deportation proceedings or you have no backbone??????
B Agius
Jun 1st 2011, 17:58
Can some brilliant mind answer one question: How many migrants will Malta accept? 10,000? 50,000? 100,000? More? When is enough enough? Refusing the 1000th migrant is wrong as much as refusing the 100,000th one, no? So, are we going to continue like this until we start fighting each other for space?
By letting more migrants in we are also jeopardizing the chances of the other migrants that are already here. If the influx is not halted, in a few years we will be the migrants. I am not a racist and truly believe we should help. But one must realize that even help is limited to what resources you have at your disposal. Our tiny island (and resources) cannot sustain this invasion. When will the authorities realize this? When it's too late?!!
P. Zammit
Jun 1st 2011, 17:16
The end of inflow of migrants ? ....dream on !
Stephen Koludrovic
Jun 1st 2011, 17:09
Never mind Guys,
Harold Camping says he was mistaken with his last forecast, its now on for the 21th October and this time nobody will be saved.
Mr phil sam
Jun 1st 2011, 16:10
We all need a rescue, living in Malta. Petrol increase , next electricity. What for to pay for rescue and upkeep of illegals. Roll on Gonzi, the end is nigh
Mark Piscopo
Jun 1st 2011, 14:51
I think Dr. Gonzi should start passing by Hall Far every night before going home. Most probably he would think twice and understands the frustration of the Maltese citizens. I have family members who are afraid of passing by those areas especially during the night. I don't think being afraid in your own country is ok at all and this happened because we are so nice to people that are slowly taking over our land. Our response to this crises shouldn’t be smiling to the EU for not helping us!! I definitely believe that we are not taking this issue seriously enough. We are being invaded, Dr Gonzi Do something please!
Clemens Hasengschwandtner
Jun 1st 2011, 14:32
As long as the EU spends 400 million Euro's a year to export our surplus agricultural products below world market prices to African countries these people will keep on coming. I know that has not much to do with Malta but Malta is part of the EU and therefore part of the problem.
First we ruin their economy, support their dictators by selling them weapons and Mercedes luxury cars ( on credit ) and then we are surprised that the people are fed up and want to come to Europe.
We are part of the problem and have to find ways to do business without ruining a whole continent. If not these people will keep on coming - no doubt about it.
Ms Rhonda Balzan Bastow
Jun 1st 2011, 17:36
@Clemens
So well put, could not agree more. Its so disturbing the hate comments, but really you are correct, applying pressure to EU regards all of the above...the push factors are really to the forground in this matter. We always think it is the pull of our countires, but my experience is most people want to live in their own place you know. Thank you for posting
RHONDA
Mr carlos ellul
Jun 2nd 2011, 08:01
Do you think that Malta is in a position to stop the big guys from selling weapons to Africa or stop their multinational company from exploiting their lands? We can't even convince countries like England or Sweden to take us some immigrants let alone do that. The more time passes, the more our 'EU membership' smells of colonialism. The only difference is that the middle men now are not foreign but locals which are well paid by the EU
Mr Joe Gatt
Jun 1st 2011, 14:28
Welcome visitors, the more the merrier, welcome and make yourselves at home, everthing`s on the house now, it`s all free, but please do not spread the word around, just yet, we have limited vacancies, resources and space available, and may not cope if others decide to visit us all at once.
We appreciate your understanding, and hope our food is to your liking.
Have a pleasant if not a permanent stay.
Kind Regards
Tax Payer
Mr N. Agius
Jun 1st 2011, 14:13
The worst is yet to come. Shame on you EU. Our goverment needs to do more as they are taking us for a ride.
Stephen Koludrovic
Jun 1st 2011, 13:22
Did the AFM recuperate the dead person that was thrown overboard? Was this person truly sick ? and if so why was he allowed to board the boat in the first place?
The skipper of the boat should be held accountable for this action. These sort of bestiality's must not be allowed.
Alistair Busuttil
Jun 1st 2011, 15:24
We might need the interpol here.What we are supposed to do ?police all the world,we are draining a lot of resources
D. A . Agius
Jun 1st 2011, 18:35
Don't worry... nobody does about the other hundreds who drown during the year.
Fact is, as long as the lower class remain low, the high society can still enjoy luxuries and power. And that's on both sides of the Mediterranean.
Ms Francesca Abela
Jun 1st 2011, 12:55
No doubt Malta is doing its duty to save the lives of the migrants. Now Malta together with Italy should insist with our other fellow members of the EU to come to the rescue too by helping out and I do not mean sending us funds to keep the irregular visitors. Malta's space is limited. Does this mean that we will continue forever to be responsible for migrants who get into distress and keep them in Malta ? The population number is certainly going to explode at this rate. Lest I be misunderstood I agree that Malta should save lives but we should also try and find a solution to this problem now, it is not as if it happend only yesterday but has been so for some years now.
Mr carlos ellul
Jun 1st 2011, 13:03
The EU simply don't care about us
Stephen Koludrovic
Jun 1st 2011, 13:25
Most probably none were ever repatriated, as it seems nobody wants them back. They seem to be surplus to their countries requirements
Mr Charles Cremona
Jun 1st 2011, 13:50
The truth is nobody in Northern Europe wants these people, they are a problem to them, they might take a few dozen to display solidarity but that is as far as it goes. This is the price we pay for being in the EU.
Mr Tony Camilleri
Jun 1st 2011, 14:39
The only way they could help is by organizing repatriation flights to send all illegal immigrants back to their own countries.
They can also be sent to Benghazi which is protected by NATO which has just extended its operations by another three months.
Once there, the illegal immigrants can find their own way back to their own countries.
We are full up and those already here must also be sent back.
Ms Louise Vella
Jun 1st 2011, 12:47
Can Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici now stop thinking about the divorce referendum and tell us:
1. How many illegal immigrants has Malta been the victim of since the beginning of this year?
2. How many of them have been repatriated to their country of origin?
3. What is he doing to repatriate the others?
Mr Joseph E Briffa
Jun 1st 2011, 13:16
Ms Louise Vella; How can anyone possibly conceive sending these people back to war-torn Libya? Are you for real?
Stephen Koludrovic
Jun 1st 2011, 14:53
Boy do we love this word war torn country, it about time we start saying war torn continent. Always was, is, and it seems will always be.
Quite simply a very selfish,irresponsible, non caring continent,
Mr Patrick Bellia
Jun 1st 2011, 15:15
I will not send him back I will let him in to sleep in my bedroom. and in the morning i wake up at 05.00am to make him breakfast but first i need to tell him what he wants because he might not like mine and begin to destroy my house. Mhux sewwa qeda tghid Ms Vella Le inzommu l kull wiehed li jigi hawn ghal naqra naghmlulom sinjal bil vlegga fil bahar halli jaslu bla xkiel.
Bill Williams
Jun 1st 2011, 16:24
War-torn Libya?
The migrants are from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Bangladesh, and Chad. Some also said they are from Canada!
Where is the one from Libya?
Mr Joe Gatt
Jun 1st 2011, 16:50
Ms Louise Vella
What`s most important is how many are here at the present time, we are told that these are few in number, but onemay comes across many of them wherever one goes on the Island. Whether it is the Hospital, the clinics, work places, the busses, you name it, during daytime and nighttime as well
I hope this is not a coverup by our Administrators in order not to alarm the Maltese Second Class citizens.
I state second class due to the fact that we have to carry the burden plus ours as well.
Ms D. Borg
Jun 1st 2011, 21:06
@Mr Joseph E Briffa
So now it's illegal immigrants from war-torn Libya? And what about those who came when there was no war in Libya, why were they imposed on us?
Mr carlos ellul
Jun 1st 2011, 12:46
I hope that they are ok. I'm sorry for them since they will end up locked in a country with little opportunities just because some local genius had decided to sign the dublin 2 treaty which is meant to lock immigrants at the outskirts of the EU empire
Stephen Tonna
Jun 1st 2011, 13:19
imsieken ahna ghax qed nahdmu ghalihom.
Mr John Azzopoardi
Jun 1st 2011, 12:45
What are we suppose to do with all these migrants./ We even have blood shortages here in malta. Malta, you are on your own. Just remember that.
Mr Patrick Bellia
Jun 1st 2011, 13:08
hawn nitghallmu habib meta dejjem kien tard wisq, meta ma jkunx hawn min fejn tghaddi nemla imbghad jibda jsir xi haga, ghalxejn nitkellmu hawn kullhadd ta mhux int jew jien biss imma kullhadd ingenerali ghax ahna semplici cittadini u ma nistghu naghmlu xejn habib tieghi , ikollna noqghodu ahana hafana bla bla bla u qatt ma naghmlu xejn. jien niskanta kif naghmlu l protesti issa mhux polika qed nitkellem fuq hobza li tghlla 2c u fuq dawn qatt ma ghamilna xejn invadew pajjiz, dan is sajf nistghu nistennew min issa eluf ghax diga qed juri car x inhu gej, bhall daz zmien sena l istorja kienet kompletamnet differenti, jiena nispera li ma ndumux ma nghidu daqshekk ghax iz zejjed kollu zejjed meta ma ghandnix fejn inzommu izjed
Mr Michael Buhagiar
Jun 1st 2011, 15:35
patrick belliz.. nistaqsik: U x'taghmel INT jekk jibqghu jiguna? Tispara ghalihom bhal ma qal xi hadd fl-Italja? Ahna ghandna kuxjenza mhux bhal haddiehor li jigi jaqa u jqum..
Mr Tony Camilleri
Jun 1st 2011, 15:58
Mr Patrick Bellia għandek raġun ħabib. Il-partiti politiċi qed jaljenaw in-nies minn fuq din l-invażjoni.
Jistgħu jgħidulna l-whips tal-Partiti għalfejn għad ma tawx appuntament lil tas-CNI li kienu ġabru iktar minn 30,000 firma fi ftit jiem ta' nies li jridu lill-Gvern biex jara x'jagħmel ħalli jwaqqaf din l-invażjoni?
Jistgħu jgħidulna meta se jilqgħu din il-petizzjoni?
Fl-elezzjoni mhux se ninsew dawn l-affarijiet.