Update 7 | [WATCH] 129 migrants rescued at sea brought in to Malta, one taken to hospital

A group of around 129 migrants rescued by the AFM and a US navy after being intercepted yesterday afternoon were brought to Malta at around 2pm.

16 October 2013, 12:00am
by Miriam Dalli

3 min read

The AFM patrol boat berthing at Hay Wharf

A group of around 129 migrants who were in distress 55 miles south of Malta, have arrived in Malta after a rescue operation coordinated by the Armed Forces of Malta.

One of the migrants required medical attention and was referred to Mater Dei Hospital.

A photo released by the US navy showed the rescued 129 persons who were in distress at sea on the board the amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio. The navy reached the migrants at around 6pm on Wednesday. The men, aged between 20 and 30, were provided with food and water, medical attention and temporary shelter by the US sailors and marines.

Even though the group has claimed to be from Somalia, sources close to the Police Force told MaltaToday that the migrants were from West Africa.

MaltaToday has since confirmed that 70 were from Gambia, 36 from Senegal, two from Nigeria, 3 from Sierra Leon, one from Guinea Konacru, six from Guinea Bisau, 10 from Mali and one from Burghina Kazo.

Some tweets from Miriam Dalli who was at Hay Wharf

#migrants #malta pic.twitter.com/qAJ2uEKbmC — Miriam Dalli (@Miriam_Dalli) October 17, 2013

#migrants escorted by the police onto the buses pic.twitter.com/fJBOKb4alx — Miriam Dalli (@Miriam_Dalli) October 17, 2013

An AFM King Air Aircraft yesterday intercepted a dinghy that was floating some 75 nautical miles south west of Malta. The AFM Operations centre coordinated the rescue operation and help was also sought from a US navy.

Until the arrival of the USS San Antonio, a large merchant vessel which was in the area provided temporary protection.Sources said the captain claimed he could not take the migrants aboard because the vessel was too high.

The dinghy was reported to be carrying some 120 migrants all of whom are men and claiming to be hailing from Somalia. The all-male group of migrants have no life jackets.

The AFM operations centre moved on to enquire on vessels that were in the area of operations and established contract with the USS San Antonio that was just 60 nautical miles away from the migrants' dinghy.

The US navy vessel made way towards the dinghy and started embarking the migrants onboard. Due to inclement weather, including Force 6 winds, it was decided that the migrants should be taken onboard and then transferred this morning onto the AFM's P-52.

The transfer of the rescued persons to Maltese authorities from the USS San Antonio took place earlier today at some 2 miles away from Malta.

Malta is the closest safe port of call, however the AFM is coordinating the rescue mission with the Italian navy who have a vessel around seven miles from the migrants' dinghy.

Speaking to Maltese journalists in Israel on Wednesday, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that a state of emergency declared in Sicily over the irregular immigration of asylum seekers could put more pressure on Malta, particularly since the island of Lampedusa was declared unsafe because of the influx of migrants over the past few weeks.

AP reportsthat the American warship is the same one where an al-Qaida suspect was interrogated after being snatched from Libya by U.S. special forces. Libyan terror suspect Abu Anas al-Libi, also known as Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, was captured during a military raid in Libya on 5 October and questioned for a week aboard the San Antonio before being transferred to the U.S. He is due to stand trial on terror charges in New York City.

Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...

More from Miriam Dalli

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A cursory look at any history of migration would show that later waves of migrants always find it easier than the earlier ones. The human smugglers have achieved their most important objective – that of making host countries feel wrong if they ever refuse what fattens their pockets. In essence we are now at the stage most beneficial to human smugglers – a no limit situation, without even a problem for the smugglers of getting the migrants across because countries are coming out to receive what they are smuggling. It’s like a drug lord managing to make countries feel sorry for his drug mule. First we were made to believe they came all the way from North Africa in small boats carrying twenty or so (a blatant lie that politicians were comfortable with), then we were made to believe they came all the way from North Africa in dinghies carrying a human load of around six ton pushed by medium range outboards and a jerry can of fuel (a blatant lie politicians were comfortable with) and now it is full blown – mother-ships with hundreds. Politicians need to come clean. Do they believe this mass exodus should be a no-holds-bar situation? If they do believe this, they should eliminate the middle man and provide cruise liners rather than phantom surveillance and uncomfortable patrol boat rides. If they do not, they should declare what they are ready to accept and what not. As a starter they may trace these mother-ships, save the migrants, arrest the captain, crew and anyone else connected to the vessel or simply blow up the ship once the migrants are not there. This would, at least, start hurting the pockets of smugglers and those involved in the illegal trade.

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Saved today and they have already started revolting. Send them back to their own countries. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131017/local/disturbance-at-safi-detention-centre.490801 Disturbance at Safi detention centre http://www.inewsmalta.com/dart/20131017-ornat-immigranti-li-da-lu-llum-jipprotestaw Aġġornat: Immigranti li daħlu llum jipprotestaw

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http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g190320-i895-k6921946-Malta_and_immigrants-Island_of_Malta.html Tourism is already being affected check this link

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So by Italy declaring a State of Emergency is a push back legaly and Malta will have to accept them even if they are found in Scicly territorial waters

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Malta you have become too soft. Send these people home. Your country is an easy target for immigrants. Every year I see more foreigners lining the streets of your country.

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Malta you have become too soft. Send these people home. Your country is an easy target for immigrants. Every year I see more foreigners lining the streets of your country.

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Jista` xi hadd jghidilna min qed immexxi go dan il-Pajjiz? Jista` xi ras u allat li ghadna ma saqajna jghidulna se jigri minn dan il-povru pajjiz u il-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi?Dawn in-nies kollha invadew il-Malta.Il-kavalieri bnew swar biex hadd ma jidhol u jinvadi il-Malta. Illum hawn il-hajbu immexxi dan il-pajjiz u kulhadd diehel go pajjizna u gabuh qisu latrina.Veru pajjiz spiccut u bla sinsla.Se jigri minn dan il-pajjiz 10 snin ohra? Jista` xi ras kbira , u ghadna hafna minhom dawn, jghidulna se jigri mill-poplu Malti.

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These people are risking their life in trying to cross the sea. They look in great shape, I believe that they have just disembarked from a large ship. This ongoing illegal human trafficking has to stop. While Malta should help these irregular immigrants that are in distress, investigations should be carried out to establish who is behind this organised racket. DR. SB should declare whether he is considering backing PM JM in this mounting problem that Malta is facing without effective help from the EU.

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Comgolese and others can go to another African country. There are 62 countries in Africa and no one is going to make me believe that their life is threatened in all African countries.

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So what would the tanker do if the crew had to abandon it? Do they think we are fools? It could lower one of its lifeboats and pull it up again with the illegal immigrants. it doesn't want to because it knows that once they are on board they will be safe and can be taken to Lampedusa. What is the Government waiting to declare Malta a disaster? If Sicily has declatred an emergency when it so so many times, more than 50, larger than Malta, let us declare Malra a disaster and let Malmstrom and Barroso takle them to Brussels and Sweden.

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Save and deport forthwith. Let them apply for asylum in Libya or another African country.

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They should be rescued and brought ashore and see whether they are bona fide refugees: if not they should be deported not given residents permit like thousands of economic migrants! What is the difference between refugee and asylum seeker? One is either a refugee entitled to all protection or one is not. Simply because one wants a better life does not entitle any one to become a resident here, in the US Australia or elsewhere! There are thousands of refugees who need help; we have to help those who really are refugees like the Syrians, or the Congolese who come from the war torn lands; the others who do not qualify should be deported with a lump sum and some trade skills.