Huge Migrant Rescue Day For Malta As 271 People Saved And 75 More Await AFM Out At Sea
Malta has rescued an estimated 271 migrants today after finding them in distress aboard separate boats in its search and rescue area.
In a statement this morning, the Armed Forces of Malta confirmed they had rescued 63 migrants from aboard a rubber dinghy and were disembarking them in Malta.
The AFM later saved two other groups of migrants, one of 61 people and one of 124 people, bringing the total number up to 271.
Meanwhile, the Times of Malta quoted an AFM spokesperson as confirming that the army is coordinating the rescue of a further 75 people stranded in the island’s search and rescue area.
The plight of this last group of migrants was flagged by Alarm Phone, a support hotline for people crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
The people tell us they spent 36h on sea now, they are exhausted, hungry and thirsty. They did not see one rescue asset yet. MRCC #Malta received all relevant info: we demand immediate rescue by them now!
— Alarm Phone (@alarm_phone) June 5, 2019
“The people have told us they spent 36 hours at sea,” Alarm Phone tweeted today
“They are exhausted, hungry and thirsty [yet] they did not see one rescue asset. Malta has received all the relevant information; we demand immediate rescue by them now!”
Cover photo: A group of migrants land at the Haywharf in Floriana earlier today
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