A security message has been issued by the Maltese maritime authorities warning mariners of dangerous “armed vessels” roaming south of the island.

The message – not intended to alarm sailors and fishermen but to increase vigilance – was issued by the Transport Authority on the back of reports that smugglers had fired warning shots at an Italian tug boat last week.

The message urges vessels navigating beyond 50 nautical miles south of Malta to be on the alert, as armed vessels could pose a risk. Questions sent to the Transport Authority had not been answered by the time of writing yesterday.

TRANSPORT MALTA STATEMENT

But in a statement this afternoon, Transport Malta said the warning applied only to vessels close to the Libyan coast.

"There is no cause for excessive alarm. The situation close to the Libyan coast has been uncertain for a long time," it said.

It said that Nato encouraged vessels to carry out a serious risk assessment before passing through the area and to pass quickly and be on the alert. The message was repeated in Malta following last week's incident when an Italian vessel was taken close to the Libyan coast.

Transport Malta said that its Malta Hydrographic Office gave the information for maritime security as part of its international obligations under the Solas Convention.

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