Hundreds of asylum seekers are making the most of the calm seas and fleeing Libya, with seven packed boats spotted in and around Malta’s search and rescue area in the past 48 hours.
Three boats carrying 667 African refugees from Libya, including many women and children, reached Lampedusa yesterday, and the Italian island was bracing itself for more, according to international reports.
The Armed Forces of Malta issued a statement saying it had helped coordinate yesterday’s rescue operation and was yesterday on the alert for more boats, full of mostly sub-Saharan migrant workers fleeing North Africa. However, it seems none of the boats are heading towards Malta.
The AFM also helped Greek authorities coordinate the rescue of a boat laden with people that was 350 nautical miles to the east of Malta and which, unusually, headed towards Crete.
The army’s rescue coordination centre was also involved indeploying its assets, such as the Air Wing Kingair, to investigate other boats spotted drifting in and around Malta’s SAR, but steaming north towards Lampedusa.
The AFM said an Italian rescue helicopter of the Guardia di Finanza had reportedly reached one of these boats.
The AFM said its operations were still ongoing throughout yesterday, even though it was expecting a lull in activity as the northwest winds were forecast to increase to force five, with a moderate to rough sea swell.
Malta and Italy have been at loggerheads in recent years over the interpretation of international maritime rules connected with SAR operations.
Just last week, Italy’s Foreign Affairs Minister Franco Frattini lambasted Malta for being “just a spectator” to the exodus of immigrants from Libya seeking refuge in Europe, an accusation Malta vociferously dismissed.
While Malta maintains it is only responsible for coordinating search and rescue missions in its vast area – which spreads across the Mediterranean from Crete to just a few kilometres from Lampedusa – Italy contests this and says the island is responsible for taking all immigrants rescued in its SAR region.