[WATCH] Army releases video of migrant rescue operation

The Armed Forces of Malta was alerted to the presence of a rubber dinghy with two men on board by a Frontex plane patrolling the central Mediterranean

14 August 2019, 12:40pm
by Staff Reporter

1 min read

AFM releases video of migrant rescue operation

The Armed Forces of Malta has released a video of the rescue operation carried out on Monday to rescue two migrants from a rubber dinghy.

One of the men was airlifted to safety and taken to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment. He was found to be in critical condition.

The other men, unfortunately, did not make it and was already dead when the army reached the boat.

The corpse of the migrant was brought to shore on board an AFM patrol boat.

The incident has highlighted the plight of migrants trying to make the dangerous sea crossing to Europe from Libya.

The AFM said it was alerted to the presence of the rubber dinghy after a Frontex plane patrolling the central Mediterranean spotted the boat adrift.

Frontex, which is the EU border agency, immediately alerted the Maltese Rescue Coordination Centre which sent a helicopter to the spot with two rescue swimmers.

Meanwhile, as the weather in the central Mediterranean worsens, 500 migrants are still on board two rescue NGO vessels after both Italy and Malta refused them entry.