Authorities are considering a board of inquiry recommendation for disciplinary action against a number of detention officers involved in the escape of five illegal immigrants from the Safi detention centre last April and the death of one of them after his recapture.

The Nigerian migrants had escaped from Safi detention centre, where they were awaiting repatriation. They had been in detention for several months.

The inquiry was headed by Martin Scicluna, the government's former adviser on defence matters, and included Maryanne Agius and Natalino Attard.

The board had been asked to establish whether there was negligence, non-observance of regulations or abuse related to the incident and to submit recommendations felt necessary.

The Home Affairs Ministry said in a statement that the board of inquiry submitted its observations and recommendations on August 26 but as the magisterial inquiry had still not been concluded and the autopsy results were not accessible to the board, the report was inconclusive.

So the board limited its role to the central aspects of the task it had been given.

However, it felt it should make submissions without further delay so that the necessary steps could be taken by the relevant authorities to access the various shortcomings which had been identified wherever this was possible.

The board observed that the head of the Detention Services should ensure there were detailed procedures on the opening and closing of security doors and continuous instructions should be given verbally and in writing to detention officers.

These officers should also receive regular first aid training as well as training into how to react in particular and complex situations.

Responsibility for lack of training and observance of established procedures was of the head of the services, the board said.

It also proposed an isolation cell at Safi, such as there was at Lyster Barracks and CCTV and hand-held video cameras in all closed centres to be used whenever there were serious incidents.

The ministry said it immediately took steps to address the issues raised and the heads of the Detention Services and the Armed Forces of Malta were requested to consider the recommendations and apply them according to the case.

In this regard, training programmes were being drawn up in collaboration with various stakeholders and these were expected to be implemented shortly.

The existing instructions and procedures were being revised for shortcomings to be addressed and the procedure for the installation of CCTV's at all detention centres was embarked upon.

The ministry said that as soon as the magisterial inquiry is concluded, the board's report will be published in full.