The Armed Forces of Malta has confirmed that a NGO-operated vessel with 65 migrants on board has not been granted permission to enter Maltese territorial waters.

“The boat doesn’t have permission to enter our waters and if it does enter, it will be up to the government to decide what course of action to take,” an AFM spokesperson told Lovin Malta.

The Alan Kurdi, operated by the German NGO Sea Eye, drafted a course for Malta yesterday evening after being denied entry to the Italian island of Lampedusa.

In the evening, the #AlanKurdi changed its course towards Malta.
We can not wait until the state of emergency prevails.

Now it has to be proven whether the European governments stand by Italy's attitude.
Human lives are not a bargaining chip. pic.twitter.com/wHczdoI4po

— Sea-Eye (@seaeyeorg) July 6, 2019

“We cannot wait until the state of emergency prevails,” the Sea Eye tweeted. “Now it has to be proven whether the European governments stand by Italy’s attitude.

Human lives are not a bargaining chip.”

The Sea Eye’s decision to head to Malta came shortly after the ship Alex, operated by the NGO Mediterranea, defied Italy’s orders and docked 41 migrants at Lampedusa. Italian authorities promptly impounded the boat and commenced an investigation into the captain for aiding illegal immigration.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has taken a harsh stance against migrant rescue vessels and new laws passed by his government last month created fines of up to €50,000 for vessels that sail to Italian ports without permission.

Last week, another NGO-run vessel, the Sea-Watch 3 defied Italy’s orders and entered Lampedusa after being stranded out at sea for two weeks. Its captain Carola Rackete was arrested and accused of trying to sink a police boat but a court found her not guilty.

Cover photo: A migrant aboard the Alan Kurdi vessel. Photo: Sea-Eye 

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