Migrant assistance mission rescues Maltese fisherman, son after boat's motor fails

[VIDEO] Brigadier Martin Xuereb on MOAS operation • ‘Our primary aim is to prevent loss of life at sea, not to ferry migrants from one point to another… we will follow the laws of the sea which oblige all vessels to help in case of distress,’ say MOAS founders

Camcopter taking off from the Phoenix
Camcopter taking off from the Phoenix
Saved by MOAS
Saved by MOAS
The fisherman's boat was towed to shore
The fisherman's boat was towed to shore

Video is unavailable at this time.

The Migrant Offshore Aid Station has carried out its first rescue mission, just a few hours before it officially sails off for a 20-day operation. MOAS will spend a total of 60 days at sea this summer, divided into various missions.

The privately-funded migrant rescue mission rescued a Maltese fisherman and his son after the motor of their boat broke down.

The father and son have now been safely tied to the Phoenix, and were safely towed to shore.

MOAS founders Regina and Christopher Catrambone are philanthropists: shocked by the shipwreck tragedy off Lampedusa in October 2013, when hundreds of migrants drowned, the couple decided to take heed of Pope Francis’s call for entrepreneurs to help prevent tragedies.

And now, they are the first civilians to fund a mission to assist migrants at sea.

“We will assist in the rescue of migrants if it is asked to do so by the search and rescue authorities or if the situation is an immediate matter of life or death. The primary aim is to prevent loss of life at sea, not to ferry migrants from one point to another,” the couple says.

This however does not exclude the option of MOAS taking on board the migrants. The location of disembarkation will not be determined by MOAS but by the authorities according to the laws of the sea.

Members of the media were today invited to witness the launch of one of two camcopters, at 24 nautical miles off Malta and in uncontrolled airspace.

All boats out at sea are obliged to help out in cases of search and rescue. MOAS will be out at sea specifically for this reason, equipped with the necessary resources and expertise to assist in the most effective way. The Phoenix, a 40-metre ship, is equipped with two Schiebel remote piloted aircraft – camcopter – which will monitor the seas from the sky and provide real-time intelligence to MOAS and the Rescue Coordination Centres of Malta and Italy.

The camcopter, weighting 200kg, can do six hours at a stretch and can cover 200km per hour, operated within a maximum range of 100km. The camcopter, equipped with infrared cameras, can also send clear images during the night with a camera so sharp it can actually read what’s written on the palm of a hand.

The professional crew includes rescuers, seafarers, paramedics and humanitarians.

MOAS’s assistance can be as basic as providing water, food, life-jackets and action that could help prevent loss of life.

Phoenix is equipped with an aid clinic, with paramedics trained in trauma.

MOAS is directed by Brigadier Martin Xuereb, who served as Malta’s Chief of Defence.

“We will be an asset at the disposal of the authorities, just as any fishing boat or commercial vessel. The only difference is that we have the capabilities, experience and the willingness to assist effectively,” Xuereb says.

Even though its first operation starts tomorrow, MOAS was conceived before Mare Nostrum, an operation that sees the Italian government taking responsibility for the lives at sea that even fall under the Maltese government’s responsibility.

While the Catrambone couple provided the initial capital expenditure for MOAS, the running costs for the first summer are also being provided.

The couple explains that, with their expertise, they feel they can contribute most effectively in this field.

“There are many larger NGOs trying to reduce poverty and conflict in Africa and beyond. Many also work on integration and asylum once refugees reach Europe. However, at the point where migrants are most vulnerable – when it is a clear matter of life and death – there is an immediate need to act.”

Regina and Christopher are both aware that their mission attracts allegations that it is encouraging more migrants to make the dangerous crossing.

“We strongly believe migrants fleeing conflict and desperation will cross the channel regardless of their safety as they have been doing for more than a decade. Our priority is to prevent more tragedies from occurring through such activities.

“No one deserves to die at sea.”