Update 5 | Three-year old migrant arrives from Libya

Abel Teages, the three-year-old Eritrean migrant upon his arrival in Malta • Video by Ray Attard

Following the efforts of the Maltese government together with the migrants commission an Eritrean father living in Malta was today reunited with his three-year-old son living in Libya.

The boy who lost his mother in a car accident in Libya landed in Malta on a Medavia flight at 6pm. The ministry for foreign affairs thanked Medavia for its "noble gesture" and everyone elese involved in the humanitarian operation.

The child was living outside Tripoli, and was transported to the Maltese embassy in the Libyan capital at 12:30 pm where Maltese ambassador Manny Galea took the child into his custody. Abel Teages underwent medical checkups after being flown to Malta.

“I thank the minister (George Vella) and the Maltese people and I am very happy that I am now reunited with my son,” a visibly emotional Teages Gebregzabher Gebremariam told journalists minutes after hugging his child.

The operation to fly Abel Teages to Malta was coordinated by the foreign affairs, social solidarity and home affairs ministries.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella confirmed that the government was doing its utmost to seek the departure of the boy from Libya and bring him to Malta.

The necessary paperwork has been prepared by the government after the child was located by the Maltese government. After being located, the boy was taken to a secure location in Tripoli by UNHCR.

Meanwhile, the Times of Malta is reporting that Malta is facilitating the transfer of a girl who is living a similar situation to that of the three-year-old boy, identified as Abiel Gebregzabher.

“Contacts are ongoing and we are doing all that is possible to find a way to bring the boy to Malta,” Vella said.

The Eritrean man lives in Malta under international protection. The Church’s emigrants commission, who came forward on behalf of the man appealing for help, said the Eritrean father has been living in Malta for the past two years.

The son ended in Libya without the mother, who died three weeks ago while she was crossing over from Sudan into Libya with other Eritreans.

“The bus she was riding in was involved in an accident and she lost her life. His son and three other children lost their parents and are now in the care of a family friend,” Charles Buttigieg, a former Commissioner for Refugees, said on behalf of the Church’s emigrants commission.

The Eritrean father is appealing for help since he is not a refugee, but enjoys subsidiary protection: refugees enjoy the right to family reunification under national and European legislation.

A benefactor has been found to pay the child’s travelling expenses to Malta, and to assist the other three children who were orphaned in the same incident.

‘Government not briefing Opposition on Libya’ – Busuttil

In comments to members of the media this morning, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil expressed his concern over the way government was handling the Libya crisis.

“The Opposition is not being briefed on what the government is doing to safeguard Maltese citizens who remain in Libya,” Busuttil said.

He questioned why the government had not yet ordered the evacuation of its citizens from the strife-torn country.

The government has so far been assisting Maltese nationals who wanted to leave Libya.

In a reaction, the government accused Busuttil of trying to sow doubts on its efforts to ensure Maltese citizens in Libya are safe and are provided with the means to return to Malta.

“These services have been provided for weeks without fanfare. The Opposition’s negative attitude highly contrasts with the cooperative attitude adopted by a Labour opposition in 2011,” the government said.

It said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs was working night and day to help the Maltese citizens in Libya.