The illegal immigrants who spent a week in Maltese territorial waters aboard the Spanish trawler Francisco Katalina were brought ashore in Malta on Friday afternoon and boarded two separate Spanish military aircraft, one headed towards Italy and the other headed towards Spain.
The Eritrean immigrants will eventually resettle in a number of countries including Italy and the Azores archipelago near Portugal.
Initially the illegal immigrants were reluctant to leave the trawler, however they cooperated soon after an Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) patrol boat reached the vessel to escort them to Haywharf.
Three of the illegal immigrants, a pregnant woman, a young child and her mother, which were expected to remain in Malta also left the country. These immigrants were treated in hospital earlier this week. The other Eritrean nationals will be resettled in other countries, including Italy and the Azores archipelago.
The illegal immigrants were meant to be brought ashore in Malta on Thursday, however they remained stranded in Maltese waters up until Friday afternoon after diplomatic efforts fell through. Reports said that one of the countries which had agreed to take in some of the illegal immigrants delayed giving its approval.
The Spanish trawler was expected to be brought into Haywharf on Thursday night however, after traveling just two miles towards Malta it was forced to turn back because Spain failed to finalize a deal with another country which will take in some of the illegal immigrants.
In turn five Morroccan illegal immigrants aboard the Spanish trawler filed a judicial protest in Court asking not to be sent to Libya following their extradition. Attorney General Silvio Camilleri denied their request, stating that none of them would be sent to Libya.
The Court presided by Magistrate Giannino Caruana Demajo had initially upheld the request, however it was turned down following the reply of the Attorney General
The immigrants filed the protest claiming that a number of international organisations’ reports show that there is no guarantee that their fundamental human rights will be safeguarded in Libya. They added the being sent back to their country of origin could lead to persecution or even death.
However, Attorney General Silvio Camilleri stated that none of them would be sent Libya.
See also:
Spain to take in illegal immigrants
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 20, 2006, 09:57 CET
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