Helicopter stop-overs at the airport
Two Qatari military helicopters are silhouetted against the sunrise at Luqa airport this morning.
The helicopters - Sea Kings - later flew to Djerba, Tunisia, and returned to Malta this afternoon.
A Royal Navy Lynx also stopped over at the airport.
Picture: Ian Pace
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24 Comments
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Mr Tony Camilleri
Aug 16th 2011, 23:32
Nicolai Schembri if you are so sure and seeing that referendums are popular with the present government, why don't you suggest a referendum to see whether the Maltese people want these war machines to continue coming here and violating our Constitution?
Nicolai Schembri
Aug 17th 2011, 23:58
These aircraft/helis/ships are NOT violating our Constituion. The Constitution clearly states that Malta is a neutral country, BUT we can be used as a base in case of a resolution Unites Nations Security Council.
Go find it a copy of the constitution online and read it for yourself!
C Muscat
Aug 16th 2011, 14:38
Jidher car li lil Gonzi ma humiex jaghtuh cans jimxi kif jaqbel lil Mlata.!!!! JM batut izjed minn Gonzi!!!
Mary Ann Borg
Aug 16th 2011, 01:30
Gaddafi has been dictating to us ever since Mintoff sold Malta to his country. You think our dear Constitution's neutrality clause is not a result of direct interference by Gaddafi.? Why did we declare ourselves neutral when at the same time we had not one, but two military brand-new helicopters operated and flown by Libyan pilots operating out of Pembroke and Luqa airport in the 70's and 80's? At the same time too we had Libyan warships being worked on at it-Tarzna, all this during our very first years of Neutral Malta, no less! The neutrality clause is just a way of getting at NATO and the Yanks who have won the Cold War hands down without evening firing a single bullet. The likes of Joseph Brincat should go live in Belarrus, North Korea or even China where their dear communists all live peacefully and democratically.
guido cutajar
Aug 16th 2011, 09:33
Mary Ann..........Qeghdha tghejd l-istorja hazin, u kif jaqbel lilek. Meta il partit laburista ha il gvern fis 1970`s, ma sabx xejn fil kaxxa ta Malta ( finanzi ). L-Inglizi bil ftehem li ghamlu ma Dr.G.B.O. bdew ituna il loqom. Mintoff beda il glied mal gvern Ingliz, fuq il kera tal bazi. Beda imur jittallab ( ghax hekk kontu tghejdulu) ma l-erba t`irjieh tad dinja sabiex igib l-ghajnuna li kellna bzonn ( u mhux jitfa il problemi fuq ic cittadini, bhal ma qeghed jigri illum ) .Sibna lil Korea, licCina lil l-Italja, lil Pakistan, lir Russja u fuq kollox lil Libja. Dawn u ohrajn tawna kull mezz ta l-ghajnuna, min piloti ta l-ajruplani sabiex imexxu l-Air Malta( ghax l-Inglizi qatt ma ghalmuna ) sa tobba. Bnew baciri u fabbriki.. Allura b`daqshekk konna qeghdin niksru il Kostituzjoni ? Allura konna mahkumin minnhom ? Ghandek tkun li illum qeghdha tinkiser il Kostituzzjoni, li fis sena 2005 il Gvern ta Dr. Gonzi u il P.L. qablu li ma isirux ammendi fil Kostituzzjoni hlief, li naccetta lil l-U.E.....In newtralita ta Malta illum qeghedha tinkiser, u bil barka taz zewg partiti.
Mr Stephen Borg
Aug 16th 2011, 01:08
Mr Brincat would you not accept the ambassadors of Qatar or the ambassador of the United States in Malta. Not accepting these aircraft and ships would be the same as not accepting the ambassadors of their respective state. The Maltese constitution is obsolete on such maters, the cold war era is over and has been over for a long time now, we are part of the civilized World and we are doing the right thing when we accept these ships and aircraft in our country because they might open new international relations which could be of benefit to as small country like ours.
Raf Luqa
Aug 16th 2011, 01:07
Military helicopters alongside transport aircraft have been stopping over in Malta ever since the... dawn of man! So there is no need to make such a big deal out of it just because they followed military jets involved in the war!
Mr Michael Galea
Aug 15th 2011, 22:22
Mr Callus May I remind You that our Constitution says that Malta is not to be involved in any part of war that doesn't involve us directly or to serve as a military base (that is what is happening NOW). Malta needs to stay Neutral and not to interfere nor help any country! That is the LAW!! So we are breaking our own law also the sight of these aircraft's is very dangerous especially as we are close to Libya.
Nicolai Schembri
Aug 16th 2011, 13:16
The constitution also says that we CAN participate in case of a mandate by the United Nations Security Council.
Mr carmel callus
Aug 15th 2011, 20:34
So you want Gaddafi to dictate to us what we should or should not do, Mr Brincat?
Mr Joseph Brincat
Aug 15th 2011, 20:28
WELL WAR SHIPS HAVE CAME
MILITARY PLANES HAVE LANDED
MILITARY HELICOPTERS HAVE LANDED
WHATS NEXT ???
MAYBE GADAFFI HIMSELF TO SEE WHAT IS GOING
ON WITH OUR CONSTITUTION ? ? ? ?
Joe Scerri
Aug 15th 2011, 21:24
Please repair your keyboard as the capslock appears to have stuck.
Michael Vella
Aug 15th 2011, 21:55
Stop grumbling and get over it.....where does our constitution say that we can't help our Allies? As for the war in Libya, it is backed by a UN mandate...hence our constitution allows us to help as needed.
Do you possibly feel threatened by two Qatari Air Force helicopters? Or a military jet of from France, the UK or the USA?
Mr David Ganado
Aug 15th 2011, 22:56
Our Constitution is fine thanks. It's you who has no idea what's in it, that is the problem!
Nicolai Schembri
Aug 15th 2011, 22:57
I like your sentence that says "What's next." Because it is the same thing I ask myself when I am taking pictures of these amazing aircraft and helis.
I know that you're not going to like my next sentence, but that's the whole reason I'm going to write it.....
Keep the aircraft/helis/ships coming, cos we want MORE!
Mr Matthew Scerri
Aug 15th 2011, 23:14
What's next?
More moaning left, right and center obviously!
People moan and groan and make up their own facts! I guess that's in the constitution too!
John Allsop
Aug 16th 2011, 01:30
You disagree with a United Nations mandate? The strategic position of Malta? At some point in the future, the liberty of Malta may come under threat, from a neighbour, or possibly even from within.... Who would you go crying to then, I wonder?
M. Bezzina
Aug 16th 2011, 05:41
kumment ma jamilx sens xejn!!
Mr Richard Caruana
Aug 16th 2011, 07:55
These were non-operational movements, Mr Brincat. Such movements (deliveries of new aircraft, movements from one country to another, etc) have been regular since after Independence, even during Mintoff days. If you want proof, you'll get it. All is documented with notifications and photographs.
E.g. three Israeli 'non-operational' Queen-Air aircraft passed through Malta on delivery just as Gaddafi was coming off his Caravelle during the 1974 visit!
Mr Tony Camilleri
Aug 16th 2011, 13:31
Michael Vella
Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.
Thomas Jefferson
Friendship is but another name for an alliance with the follies and the misfortunes of others. Our own share of miseries is sufficient: why enter then as volunteers into those of another?
Thomas Jefferson
Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.
Thomas Jefferson
Mr Tony Camilleri
Aug 16th 2011, 13:32
Nicolai Schembri you can go to one of the NATO countries and get more Oliver Twist, but they are NOT welcome in Malta.
Mr Tony Camilleri
Aug 16th 2011, 13:34
John Allsop We do not want to be involved with NATO, USA and others illegal wars on other countries.
We do not want our country to be used again to serve as a foreigners military base which it is now again doing because we have an obsequious lacker for a sorry example of a Prime Minister.
All foreign military aircraft and those who support them be cursed and go to hell and leave us in peace.
Nicolai Schembri
Aug 16th 2011, 14:11
@Tony Camillieri
If they're not welcome by you doesn't mean that they're not welcome by everyone.
If you hate the government's decision so much, then why don't you move to an other country where you and the government are compatible?
Nicolai Schembri
Aug 16th 2011, 14:14
@Tony Camilleri
Apparently, the " We " (in the comment directed to John Allsop) is only you and some other moaners.