The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), as the Search-and-Rescue (SAR) authority which coordinates SAR operations in the Maltese SAR Region of Responsibility (SRR), has issued a statement referring to a number of reports in the international media in relation to various SAR incidents taking place near the Italian island of Lampedusa over the past days.

The allegations that Malta has in some way refused to intervene in all these cases are incorrect and misleading.This to the extent that when RCC Malta was notified of the several cases and the ensuing developing scenarios, it deployed to the search areas in question an aerial surveillance aircraft on a number of flights, as well as two patrol vessels, respectively one to the West and another to the South-West of Malta.

Communications channels between the Maltese authorities and adjoining Rescue Cordination Centers were always open, and remain so as supported by several fax message exchanges which also make reference to phone conversations involving the sharing of information.

In the meantime, the 114 persons which were rescued by the Italian Coast Guard just out of Lampedusa island, were taken ashore at 20:30 hrs. yesterday without any particular problems. This operation was conducted under the aegis of the MRSC station of Palermo.

The Tunisian fishing-vessel “Lotfi” with 74 rescued individuals aboard, who were not in distress, remain outside Italian territorial waters off the island of Lampedusa, as they were refused disembarkation yesterday at 08:10hrs by the Italian authorities, who claimed that it was not a safe port. Tunisian authorities are also involved in the talks.

The “Lotfi” had rescued the persons from a position 53 nautical miles (NM) from Tunisia, 50 NM from Lampedusa and 120NM from Malta.

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