Video | Woman blames Nato for sister's death after vessels ignored pleas for help

Survivors of a migrant boat in distress for ten days after their engine failed halfway between Malta and Libya, have claimed warships, allegedly part of Nato’s patrol in the Mediterranean, ignored their calls for help as they drifted at sea without water and food.

17 April 2011, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

1 min read

Speaking to MaltaToday at Hal-Far’s Lyster Barracks, 25-year-old Feith Osarnkhoe, from Niger, claimed Nato ignored repeated calls for help. “My sister, Zina died on the boat because we had run out of water and food. She died because she was so thirsty, that she started drinking sea water,” Osarnkhoe said.

“We waved and screamed for the boats to come and help us, but they just sailed passed us,” the Nigerien said.

Helicopters and planes also flew over the boat, as the 116 migrants fleeing Libya shouted and desperately waved for help, according to eyewitness accounts.

The migrant boat was eventually rescued by an Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) patrol boat that intercepted them some 47 miles off Malta. Zina's body was brought to shore by the AFM and was buried yesterday.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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Balky, it's not illegal for civilians to flee a war-torn country - why should NATO stop them? Perhaps you think warships should open fire on refugees like the Lega Nord is saying. . I suppose that killing them by gunfire makes a change from drowning them.

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Come to think of it, with all those USA and NATO warships guarding the Libyan coasts how come these migrant boats are managing to leave and make their way across the Medi. If anybody can manage to keep a good look out and radar surveillance it would be military warships.

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Just think, why Libya only when the same is also happening in other countries.?

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It goes to show that all this so called protection of civilians from Gaddafi by NATO and the EU is nothing more than protecting their oil interests in Libya.

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IS-SOLIDARJETA UMANA LI MA TEZIISTIEX SPECJALMENT IL-PAJJIZI TAL-PUNENT CIOE IN-NATO U L-EU.

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This is what happens when everyone seeks their so-called "national interest". It's not national at all, let's call it by its real name: selfish interest. . People are dying because of selfish interests.