AFM on Sea Watch accusations: migrant boat did not request rescue

The AFM have said migrants aboard a fishing boat drifting between Malta, Italy and Greece’s Search and Rescue Zone did not request to be rescued.

“Written communication received by the AFM from the ship captain providing duty of care confirms that no rescue was requested by the people on board,” a spokesperson said.

On Monday evening, the Italia coast guard escorted the fishing boat, with around 400 migrants, back to land, after it spent days drifting in the Mediterranean.

Rescue NGO Sea Watch claimed Malta ordered a merchant vessel not to rescue a group of 400 migrants, and just supply them with fuel.

The boat carrying 400 migrants which left from the Libyan port of Tobruk (Photo: Sea Watch International/Twitter)

“Two merchant ships [were] ordered not to rescue, instead one was asked by Malta to only supply the boat with fuel,” the NGO said on Twitter.

A group of 400 people in distress were spotted by the NGO’s reconnaissance aircraft after they left the Libyan port of Tobruk on Easter Sunday.

Sea Watch said that two merchant ships near the migrant vessel were ordered by Malta not to rescue the people on board, “instead one was asked by Malta to only supply the boat with fuel.”

The NGO said that on Monday morning the migrant boat was in “huge danger” and was battling 1.5m waves.

Replying to questions sent by this newspaper over the allegations being made by the NGO, the AFM said it fulfils its obligations and carries out coordination “in accordance with the applicable international laws and conventions, including its duty of care towards vessels sailing in international waters within Malta’s Search and Rescue Region.”

“Reports concerning migrants in Malta’s SRR are followed up immediately, and vessels which are not in distress are monitored accordingly,” the spokesperson said.