A merchant ship hijacked off the coast of Libya has been escorted into Malta by that country’s armed forces
The Elhibru 1 had rescued about 108 people, including 19 women and 12 children, in the Mediterranean on Wednesday, but changed course for Europe after the rescued migrants realised they were being taken back to Libya. A patrol vessel prevented the tanker from entering Maltese territorial waters until a special operations unit was dispatched on board to secure the tanker. Once control of the ship was handed back to the captain, it was escorted into Malta under the watchful eye of the Maltese armed forces and allowed to dock at Boiler Wharf in the city of Senglea where the men suspected of carrying out the hijacking were arrested.
Italy’s deputy prime minister and interior minister, Matteo Salvini, had previously vowed to block the ship from arriving in Italy after receiving news of the hijacking, and likened those on board to pirates, but humanitarian groups including SeaWatch and the German charity Sea-Eye claimed such a term should not be used in this instance as the migrants’ actions were carried out in self-defence as a result of Europe’s inhumane border policy. The Elhibru 1 had been en route to Tripoli when it rescued the migrants and those on board did not want to return to Libya.
Salvini, the leader of the League party, has cracked down on migration by closing Italy’s ports to humanitarian rescue boats since he took office in June last year in an attempt to force other European countries to accept more asylum seekers. His actions have left a number of NGO rescue boats stranded and unable to dock in violation of international law and convention.
This latest incident follows an increasing number of tense stand-offs between migrants and EU governments in recent months including the rescue of more than 8o people off the Libyan coast in November. Those passengers were returned to the port of Misrata on a cargo ship but refused to disembark for more than a week until forced to do so at gunpoint.
Suspension of patrols
On Wednesday, the EU announced it will suspend sea patrols of the Mediterranean until September 30 after the Italian government threatened to veto the EU’s entire operation. Air patrols will be increased and authorities will continue to train members of the Libyan coastguard in an attempt to deter illegal crossings.
So far for the year, 234 people have died in the Mediterranean according to the International Organization for Migration.
