Migrant rescue NGO says Malta urged merchant ships to ignore distress at sea

Migrant rescue NGO Sea-Eye have accused the Maltese rescue authorities of instructing vessels to ignore distress calls at sea, in turn preventing the rescue of 45 people stranded at sea.

Email screenshots published by Sea-Eye show the Maltese Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) warning merchant vessels in the area that intercepting any boats will be considered as an interception on high sea.

The RCC also instructed the ship to “proceed with your voyage and have a good watch”.

Meanwhile, the SEA-EYE 4 vessel was involved in the search of a distress case, with 45 people having spent days on a plastic boat unfit for sea.

The vessel was in contact with two merchant ships that were in the Maltese search and rescue (SAR) zone. However, according to Sea-Eye, the Maltese RCC instructed both vessels to continue on their regular course.

One of the ships called off the search eventually, but the MTM SOUTHPORT continued participating in the search.

At this point, the Maltese RCC told them that there was no distress case and that a rescue of the people would be considered an interception on the high seas by the Maltese authorities.

The crew of the SEA-EYE 4 were able to rescue the 45 people on the night from Sunday to Monday. The rescued people had spent six days on the high seas fighting for survival.

The Italian authorities also knew about the 45 people in distress, but still instructed the vessel to sail immediately to Livorno.

"This case relentlessly shows that the failure of Maltese authorities to provide assistance is systematic. The fact that Malta not only does not carry out its own rescues in its own search and rescue zone, but even actively tries to prevent rescues by merchant ships, is a scandal!" said Gorden Isler, Chairman of Sea-Eye e.V.

Now, the SEA-EYE 4 us en route to Livorno to bring all 108 people to shore, including 63 people from an earlier rescue.

“The crew is exhausted but happy to have rescued the people,” operations manager Jan Ribbeck said the morning after the rescue. “The first thing we have to do now is wash the clothes of those rescued, because all of them were completely soaked in gasoline. As a result, many have suffered burns that need to be treated at the infirmary. The people will need a long time to recover, many stare stunned into the distance and stagger across the deck.”

Sophie Weidenhiller, SAR coordinator of Sea-Eye, said the experience was a roller coaster. “We were so relieved that merchant ships responded to this distress call, because we were still too far away and small boats like this can capsize quickly. But then to witness that the state actors, who are supposed to save lives, order the ships that wanted to help to turn away is unbelievable.”

“I am glad that no one had to die this time, but there are other cases where people die just because states like Malta refuse to help them. This is a scandal, we should all be outraged!"