Two Lampedusa tragedy survivors flee Malta only to be sent back

Two Syrian nationals were arraigned over charges of leaving Malta illegally, after fleeing the island to reach Sweden.

17-year old Youssef Batal, a former student in war-torn Syria, pleaded guilty to leaving Malta without being in possession of legal travelling documents. He also admitted to committing an offence during the term of a conditional discharge.

Yahia Sharif, 28, was a computer technician who also fled Syria during the war. Like Batal, Sharif pleaded guilty to the charges.

The two asylum seekers arrived in Malta last October after being rescued off Lampedusa.

After surviving the tragedy at sea, the two were granted immediate release from administrative detention and lived at the Hal Far Open Centre.

However in November last year, the two left Malta and were apprehended in Sweden.

Following migration agreements between the countries, the two were subsequently returned to Malta.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera handed Yahia Sharif a three-month prison term suspended for two years, but jailed Youssef Batal for a month, since he committed an offence while under a conditional discharge.

Inspector Adel Mary Camilleri prosecuted while legal aid lawyer Cedric Mifsud appeared for the two Syrians.