Malta 'serenely' awaits Italy protest over migrant boat rescue to prove correct facts

The ministry of home affairs has reacted to a statement issued this evening by the Italian foreign minister that quotes minister Franco Frattini 'ordering' the Italian ambassador to Valletta to formally protest with the Maltese government on yesterday's rescue of a boat laden with African migrants fleeing Libya off the island of Lampedusa.

Frattini reportedly telephoned  the Italian ambassador in Malta and ordered that he formally lodges a protest with the Maltese government tomorrow morning.

Frattini is alleging that the Maltese Armed Forces did not rescue a boat carrying some 600 African migrants fleeing Libya who launched an SOS while in the Maltese Search and Rescue area (SAR).

A statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Malta stated that the Maltese government 2serenely awaits the Italian government's protest so it could be able to prove the correct version of events concerning Saturday's rescue."

According to the Italians, the Maltese Armed Forces informed them that they could not make the rescue as it was too far from Malta and that weather conditions were not permitting.

As the AFM monitored the boat from the air and by sea, and also coordinated rescue efforts with NATO and with the Italian Coast Guard, the Italians still protested at Malta and expected the rescue to be made by the Maltese.

An AFM statement explained that the boat was at 100 miles away from Malta and less than 47 miles from Lampedusa.

Until late yesterday, the Italian media harshly criticised Malta for not responding to the SOS.