The French Navy’s
frigate Lamotte Piquet recovered a number of corpses in a position within the
Libyan and Maltese search and sescue regions on Friday.
The
Armed Forces of Malta’s (AFM) Rescue Co-ordination Centre Headquarters
in Luqa Barracks was informed of the recovery of the first body at
around 1130CEST. By 1600CEST, the Lamotte Piquet had recovered 8
bodies. The AFM requested it carries out a standard complete search
pattern of the immediate area where the corpses were found. The search
is expected to carry on till last light on Friday.
A total of eight corpses are reported to have been found. No information at this stage is readily
available as to the identity of the recovered bodies. Diplomatic efforts are currently underway
between France and Libya for the
French frigate to enter port and offload the said corpses.
In the meantime, on Thursday at about 2030CEST, Maritime
Squadron’s Swift-class patrolboat P-24 successfully intercepted a boatload of
illegal immigrants, four nautical miles off Marsaxlokk Harbour. The boatload was made up of 21
males and 6 females, one of whom is pregnant. .
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