Eight men, one woman rescued by AFM off the coast of Greece

The AFM’s Maritime Squadron personnel have been patrolling the waters around Lesvos since the beginning of August as part of the FRONTEX Joint Operation Poseidon Sea

The Armed Forces of Malta’s Maritime Squadron Detachment, currently operating out of the Greek island of Lesvos, was involved in a rescue operation yesterday.

While on routine patrol, the crew of the Fast Interceptor Craft P02 was informed that a small vessel was spotted via a Thermo Visual Vehicle in the area. The crew immediately set course for the location and quickly sighted a dinghy with nine persons on board in inclement weather conditions.

The passengers, eight men and one woman, were taken to safety and handed over to the Greek authorities.

The AFM’s Maritime Squadron personnel have been patrolling the waters around Lesvos since the beginning of August as part of the FRONTEX Joint Operation Poseidon Sea.

The squadron has responded to numerous incidents during this period, many of which have resulted in persons being rescued after finding themselves in difficulty while attempting to cross the maritime border between Turkey and Greece.

The Maltese detachment consists of one officer and seven enlisted men who are rotated on a monthly basis. The Boomeranger FIC P02 is supported in addition by the deployment of two AFM vehicles.