ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Migrant Rescue Ship ELEONORE
On Saturday 24th August, 2019 the 1961 built former fishing vessel ELEONORE started her first rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea. Two days later on Monday 26th August rescued 104 distressed migrants off the Libyan coast from a sinking rubber boat. Most of them were transferred on board by the ship’s RHIB, some had to be […]
Sheltering – Migrants Rescue Ship SEA PUNK I at Malta – November 2024
On Thursday 21st November, 2024 the 1969 built Migrants Rescue Ship SEA PUNK I left Porto Xiphonio at Augusta, Sicily bound to Lampedusa of which strong weather conditions were in force. On Friday 22nd November around 1056 hrs she was contacted by Valletta VTS that she had no permission to enter territorial waters as she […]
AFM – 8 Rescued souls in rough seas during Week 37 of 2024 – 14.09.2024
After the disembarking of immigrants at Delimara Power Station in the evening of Sunday 8th September (Public Holiday at Malta) it was the door for a busy week for Rescue Operations by irresponsible souls. On Tuesday 10th September, five divers were rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) and the Civil Protection Department (CPD) […]
Local Shipping – Tugboat SPINOLA sold – March 2024
The 2009 Spanish built AVT 37/70 Terminal/Escort Tug SPINOLA part of Tug Malta Limited a fully owned company of Rimorchiatori Mediterranei SpA, the latter being a sub-holding company of Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group of Genova, that commenced towage operations within the Harbours and Territorial Waters of the Maltese Islands in 1980. She was built in Spain […]
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Italian Coast Guard detains rescue ship HUMANITY 1 – 05.03.2024
The 1976 built rescue ship HUMANITY 1 operated by SOS Humanity has been detained at Crotone Port for allegedly breaching new rules on search and rescue (SAR) in the Central Mediterranean, the German NGO said last Tuesday 5th March, 2024. The ship has been placed under administrative detention for 20 days in relation to the […]
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Crossing in the Mediterranean Sea finish as a tragedy – 23.02.2024
On Friday 23rd February, 2024 the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) Operations Centre based at Luqa Barracks received a phone call around 1045 hrs stating that around 3-5 miles east of Malta there was a boat with immigrants heading to shore. Immediately AFM notified the aircraft that was airborne to go to the area and […]
Migrant Rescue Ship – THEBACKLASH leaving Malta fresh from refit/drydocking – January, 2024
With 26 hospital beds the 2000 built vessel, THEBACKLASH left Malta last Monday 29th January, 2024 passing breakwaters at 0931 hrs after 4 months refit including drydocking. She was originally built as the HAVILA STAR in Norway by Kleven Verft – Ulsteinvik, with yard number 288 for Atlantic Offshore Rescue – Aberdeen, UK. During 2007 […]
Casualties – Ferry COSSYRA on fire after leaving Lampedusa – 29.09.2023
On Friday 29th September, 2023 around 2340 hrs a fire broke out in the engine room on the 1980 built ITA flag and owned ferry COSSYRA, off Linosa Island whilst sailing from Lampedusa to Porto Empedocle, with 177 souls on board, including 150 passengers (83 of them were migrants) and 27 crew members. After the […]
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Guardia Costiera Detain Rescue Ship – 26.03.2023
On Sunday 26th March, 2023 the rescue ship LOUISE MICHEL funded by British street artist Banksy was detained in Lampedusa after Italy’s Coast Guard (Guardia Costiera) said the boat had disobeyed her instructions to head to Sicily after carrying out a migrant rescue operation. Guardia Costiera stated that it had ordered the LOUISE MICHEL […]
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Italy Demands That Countries Whose Flag Is Flown By Rescue Boats Bear The Responsibility Of Migrants Aboard – November 2022.
A row escalated on Friday 4th November over who should take care of migrants rescued by NGO’s rescue vessels offshore Italy, with Italy insisting that countries whose flag was flown by the vessels should bear some of the responsibility and Norway disagreeing. 3 NGO rescue vessels holding almost 1,000 migrants have been at sea offshore […]
