The Malta Labour Party (MLP) called on the European Union to carry out its promises where illegal immigration is concerned. Speaking on behalf of the MLP on Friday afternoon, main MLP spokesperson for foreign affairs Dr George Vella and spokesperson for home affairs Dr giving Gulia added that it the party fully backing the government on issues related to illegal immigration.  

Dr Vella said that while FRONTEX patrols were not carried out in certain parts of the Mediterranean as promised. While expressing his sorrow over recent tragedies occurring to illegal immigrants in the Mediterranean sea, Dr Vella said the criticism received from certain EU countries was undue, since the island cannot give more than it actually has.  

Dr Vella also said that the MLP is in favour of the burden sharing of illegal immigrants between all EU countries. Meanwhile he said that the party thinks the EU should be looking into the root causes of illegal immigration. Dr Vella also praised the rescue operations of the AFM and the efforts of Malta’s Labour Members of the European Parliament in tackling the issue.  

On his part, Dr Gavin Gulia said that the MLP has often spoken out on the issue of illegal immigration, both locally and abroad, in a bid to sensibilise the EU of Malta’s difficulties.  

 Dr Gulia added that Malta’s illegal immigration problems are specific to the island since Lampedusa and the Canary Islands can request assistance from Italy and Spain, however, Malta being a sovereign country is faced with serious limitations in this regard.  

The spokesperson said that it is often difficult to distinguish asylum seekers from economic migrants, adding that further problems are arising since a number of illegal immigrants cannot be repatriated even if they are not granted refugee status because of political troubles in their countries of origin.

On Thursday at around 1520CEST, the AFM was informed of  two boats located 47 nautical miles off Libyan shores. Libyan and Italian authorities were promptly informed, while contact with one of the vessels was established through satellite phone. By 1945CEST weather and sea conditions worsened and Malta contacted one of the boats again advising the illegal immigrants to change course back to south. The boat’s position was forwarded to Libya however patrols could not be conducted by the Libyan Coastal Police or Navy because of bad weather.

In the meantime an Iranian-registered cargo vessel, Iranian Zamian, was located approximately 40 nautical miles from the two illegal immigrants’ boats and Libya was called on to contact the merchant ship to guide its crew towards assisting the illegal immigrants.

Just after 2130CEST, 52 nautical miles away from Libya, one of the illegal immigrants' boats informed the AFM’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) that its motor had ceased-up. 

The Iranian Zamian reached  the boats at around 2238CEST, however the captain told the AFM that the illegal immigrants would not be taken on board amid fears they might be armed.

Since the illegal immigrants were still well within Libya's responsibility, the Iranian vessel’s crew was advised to contact Libya for further guidance. The captain said he had already spoken Libya and Italy, with the latter telling them that their concerns were to be communicated to Malta.

At 2250CEST, Malta’s RCC told its Libyan counterpart that the Iranian vessel required further guidance on the matter. Minutes later, the Iranian Zamian informed the AFM that Libya told the vessel to proceed on its original course.

When the RCC in Libya was asked about the allegedly received order, it said it knew nothing about it, however it later confirmed that an authority had issued the order.

After contact with the Iranian Zamian was temporarily lost, Libya reiterated with the AFM that it could not perform Search and Rescue (SAR) operations due to bad weather. When Malta requested a fax statement on future intents, Libya said offices were closed at night and no fax machine was available.

When contact was re-established with Iranian Zamian, a telex statement regarding Libya’s order for the vessel to proceed on its original course read that Tripoli's authorities concluded it was not advisable to conduct SAR operations, based on the Iranian vessel's captain's own recommendations.

Contact with the illegal immigrants’ boats was lost between 0039CEST and 0210CEST on Friday and no contact has been re-established since.

Read more about this issue in MaltaMedia's Special Feature Lanċa Ġejja u Ohra Sejra.