‘Still no solution from EU’ Malta says of talks with Brussels on migrant stand-off

Malta locks horns with European Commission and says its ports will remain closed even as Italy takes in 67 rescued migrants towards Lampedusa

The Europa II, a pleasure craft that usually ferries tourists around the island, is now being used to hold migrants outside Malta’s territorial waters. Photo provided by source.
The Europa II, a pleasure craft that usually ferries tourists around the island, is now being used to hold migrants outside Malta’s territorial waters. Photo provided by source.

The Maltese government is holding what have been described as “intensive discussions” with the European Commission, in a bid to resolve the distribution of 57 migrants rescued at sea.

Malta is refusing to open its ports to asylum seekers rescued at sea, and is chartering private vessels to keep boat migrants out from its search and rescue area.

At a reported cost of some €10,000 a day, a group of 57 men were rescued at sea by a private vessel – Dar El Salaam – and then transferred onto a tourist ferry, the Captain Morgan’s Europa II, which is now anchored outside Maltese territorial waters at Hurds Bank.

“There is still no solution in sight,” said a government source who provided MaltaToday with an aerial shot taken on Friday of the tourist ferry at sea, which is holding the migrants at sea.

“All those aboard have been provided with the basic needs. The Red Cross has provided necessary medical check-ups.

“The vessel is outside Malta’s territorial waters, and will stay there until a European solution is found,” the source said.

Malta has informed the European Commission and member states to turn their solidarity narrative into action, by expediting a European solution to this migration crisis immediately.

“The government has emphasized the extreme urgency of the situation in different fora, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, any further delays will be detrimental to those rescued today and tomorrow,” the source said.

Over the past two weeks, Malta has repeatedly asked for the European Union to engage further with Libya to stop human traffickers at source.

“This is a European challenge, a European responsibility and will be paid by European fund,” the source said. “Malta’s detention and open centres are full to the brim in light of a 400% increase in arrivals. Maltese ports were and remain closed.”

While Malta plays hardball with the European Union in a bid to force member states to share the responsibility of the bloc’s borders, a boatload of 67 migrants rescued by the Italian coast guard will be docked at Lampedusa. The alarm was raised by the migrant rescue charity Alarm Phone, which took the satellite call and informed the Italian rescue coordination centre.  The rescue took place about 12 nautical miles off the coast of Lampedusa and was carried out by the Italian Coast Guard and the Guardia di Finanza.