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Michaela Muscat
Italian authorities appear to have failed to respond to warnings from the Maltese authorities last Thursday night of a boat that was approaching the Sicilian mainland.
Speaking to MaltaToday, parliamentary secretary Tony Abela revealed that the Italians had been informed of the position and state of the clandestine immigrants at 9.15 pm “and to my knowledge no rescue team was dispatched.”
He added that when the boat was spotted by the AFM, wind gales were blowing at force five. “The migrants refused help,” he said, confirming their movements were constantly monitored as weather conditions worsened and apparently reached gale force seven.
The Mediterranean voyage for the latest Maghrebian hopefuls ended in tragedy as 170 irregular immigrants were fished out of Sicilian waters on Friday. The AFM’s maritime squadron estimate the boat was carrying an additional 30, apart from those rescued.
According to international law, if a vessel is spotted in international waters a country is obliged to offer help if the boat is in distress, but it cannot prevent their innocent passage and tow them inside territorial waters unless a plea for help is made.
Abela told MaltaToday there have been occasions when the maritime squadron of the AFM had responded to requests for help “and they would have definitely done the same in this case.”
Indeed according to 44-year-old Tunisian “Hamed”, reported by Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the immigrants did not send any calls of distress to the AFM because they had wished to arrive in Italy. The Tunisian was reported as saying that “only death would have stopped him”.
La Repubblica also confirms assistance offered by the AFM was refused. A spokesperson for the AFM said travelling in this kind of weather was “suicidal” and accounts this dangerous journey to inexperience or traffickers wanting to go ahead with their schedule despite weather reports.
mmuscat@mediatoday.com.mt
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