Up to 45 soldiers are being investigated in relations to an official police report over the deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean.

Investigators and court experts visited the maritime squad of the Armed Forces of Malta at Xatt it-Tiben as they move ahead with the investigation into a police report regarding the possible willful murder of migrants at sea.

The police report, which was filed against Prime Minister Robert Abela and 11 AFM soldiers, alleged that Maltese soldiers may have sabotaged a migrant vessel, leading to migrants deaths, in the Mediterranean.

The report comes following migrant hotline Alarmphone making the claims, which were picked up by international media.

However, the investigation could implicate up to 45 soldiers in total, including support crew and other people who were not included with the original 11 soldiers. 

Herman Mula, who is legally representing the soldiers with the support of the GWU, said that the inquiry’s findings would give a clean bill of health to Malta’s armed forces – however, he said that until the investigation is done, the soldiers would be going through a “trauma”.

“When you are doing your work well and risking your life to save others’ lives, and then you face these allegations, it’s traumatic,” Mula told ONE News.

Investigators will now continue their inquiries to determine whether the members of Patrol Boat P52 did willfully cause migrants deaths, or not.