The rubber dinghy which was carrying the five Eritreans who landed in Lampedusa last week, was destroyed by the Guardia di Finanza.
“It was a much-needed proof to verify whether the tragedy actually happened or not,” Home Affairs Minister, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, told Il Manifesto in an interview published today. Having nothing other than the Eritreans’ version of events, one cannot confirm anything, he said.
Confronted with the fact that lifeless bodies were sighted at sea, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that the bodies could have been remains from another tragedy that might have taken place some three weeks ago and that could have been carried by the currents.
He made it clear that the Maltese authorities think that there have been two separate transportations; one where immigrants lost their lives, and the other where the five Eritreans were saved.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici explained how the photo released by Frontex yesterday clearly shows that there was no sign of any other immigrant on board apart from the five ‘survivors’.
“Usually, one finds shoes, pieces of clothing, and other such evidence. In this case there weren’t any. Besides, the dinghy smelt new,” Dr Mifsud Bonnici argued.
He also made reference to the fact that photos taken on the Eritreans’ arrival in Lampedusa, clearly show that the immigrants were clean-shaven. “We all know that after four or five days at sea, people wouldn’t be clean-shaven.”
Asked about the location where the AFM first intercepted the rubber dinghy, the Home Affairs Minister said that it was in the Libyan search and rescue area.
Hence, he said, had the tragedy happened, it happened in the Libyan SAR, and by intercepting the dinghy and supplying the immigrants with basic needs, the AFM were honouring their obligations as per international conventions.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici emphasised that the immigrants wanted to keep going on towards Lampedusa. “Immigrants in distress are taken to shore, even when they want to proceed to Lampedusa. This can be clearly verified with those at open and closed centres in Malta.”