Law & Order
Eight bodies recovered from Libyan waters
By MaltaMedia News
Jun 1, 2007 - 8:26:46 PM

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.  .