A Maltese injured in a blast was among those who arrived from Libya on Tuesday, as the government insists no decision to evacuate has been made.

The Maltese worker suffered broken bones in his leg when a bomb exploded close to his house, and was among six Maltese who flew back home on the same day, according to Mario Cutajar, head of the Civil Service.

He confirmed the embassy in Libya would remain open to assist the more than 100 Maltese people who have chosen to remain in the country despite the government’s advice to leave.

Mr Cutajar also said evacuation plans had been prepared and were ready to be implemented if the need arose, but decisions were being taken as needed.

“The advice you get sometimes differs. First of all, it’s subjective. Secondly, it depends on what part of the country it is,” Mr Cutajar said.

The evacuation advice you get sometimes differs

He pointed out the biggest problem revolves around those located in Benghazi, as the only way out for them is from Tubruq, some 450km away.

Mr Cutajar said the government was in constant contact with European counterparts, particularly Italy, France and the UK.

Hundreds of foreign workers in Libya sent to Malta

“Malta is well prepared to handle an evacuation,” he said.

Meanwhile, 150 foreign workers, mostly Filipinos, arrived on Tuesday, while government was expecting another 59 workers of different nationalities to arrive yesterday. Mr Cutajar also said “hundreds” of Chinese were expected to arrive from Libya by sea.

A foreign patient was also expected to be flown in yesterday, possibly two. Mater Dei Hospital is already treating seven patients of different nationalities under “maximum security”.

The doctors’ union yesterday said casualties from Libya should be limited so they do not compromise the health service.

The government could not shed any further light on Maltese oil worker Martin Galea, who was released on Monday after 11 days of captivity in Libya, except that there was no sign of violence.

The government never used the word abduction

Mr Cutajar said the government could not comment “until all the pieces in the jigsaw fell into place”.

The media carried different versions of the story yesterday, with some reporting Mr Galea was not abducted but taken under the care of militia “for his own safety”.

Asked to confirm the abduction, Mr Cutajar said he was not in a position to do so since the Security Service was still talking to Mr Galea to establish the facts.

The government could not shed light on who Mr Galea’s captors were. “We never used the word abduction,” Mr Cutajar said.

Different versions of what had taken place had been given even from sources on the ground.

However, it was not the media which first used the word “abduction”. On Friday, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told Parliament the government had identified the sub-militia which “abducted” Mr Galea and contacts had been made for his release.

He said the news had been kept under wraps because the government was advised that the less publicity the “abduction” was given, the better for safety reasons. Times of Malta had revealed the abduction earlier in the day.

Government also confirmed in a briefing on Monday that Agesco, the oil and gas company employing Mr Galea, had been asked for money for his release.

The government now saying it cannot confirm the abduction also contrasts with statements made by the 42-year-old former AFM captain on his arrival in Malta when he thanked the government, and especially consul Marisa Farrugia for “literally saving my life”.