Maltese army participates in Frontex operation rescuing 539 migrants

539 migrants were rescued by the Maltese Armed Forces over the past days, two of whom – pregnant women – were brought to Malta for medical care.

The AFM’s largest offshore patrol vessel, P62, returned this morning from a 5-day Frontex Triton patrol mission in the central Mediterranean.

The P62 rescued a total of 539 migrants during separate operations over the past days. Under the coordination of MRCC Rome, Frontex Triton naval assets were requested to assist in several rescues in the vicinity of the Libyan coast.

The rescues included the combined efforts of several other EU assets including the Italian Coastguard and NGO vessels.

Yesterday afternoon, the AFM Operations Centre was requested to assist two pregnant women who needed medical assistance. MRCC Rome dispatched an Italian Navy helicopter to evacuate the two patients off an NGO vessel, while the AFM Operations Centre Coordinated the transfer.

The Italian Navy helicopter landed safely at the AFM Airwing Squadron and the patients were transferred to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance.