Malta has taken in 1,135 asylum seekers since the start of 2020, the Executive Director of Frontex Fabrice Leggeri has revealed.

Speaking during an EU LIBE Committee meeting on the migration crisis unfolding in the central Mediterranean, Leggeri revealed that between 1st January 2020 and 5th April 2020, 1,135 people arrived in Malta after making the crossing by boat.

It represents a significant increase in the number of arrivals when compared to last year. Leggeri did not give an exact rate, but he said neighbouring Italy had seen a rise of 400%, receiving 2,800 asylum seekers over the same period. There have also been more arrivals in  Spain (4,934) and Greece (7,569).

Leggeri explained that there had actually been a decrease in arrivals ever since the COVID-19 crisis erupted until four vessels carrying roughly 250 people departed Libya on Easter weekend.

Frontex had first spotted the vessels within Libya’s search and rescue zone and had informed all neighbouring rescue centres on both sides of the Mediterranean to intervene.

A diplomatic crisis erupted, with Italy, Malta, and Spain all closing their ports to asylum seekers while their respective countries coped with the pandemic. However, Libya has also closed its ports after declaring the country unsafe due to the ongoing civil war.

Five people died while the rest eventually returned to Libya. The death of the asylum seekers has resulted in a full-scale investigation into Prime Minister Robert Abela, Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, and numerous AFM soldiers.

The Maltese government has remained firm on their decision, with Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo calling for millions in EU aid to address the migration crisis within Libya.

Leggeri has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic has left the Libyan coast guard with fewer resources to detect departures from its coast.

Discussions are currently underway within the LIBE committee among MEPs, the EU Commission, Frontex, UNHCR, Council of Europe and NGOs on the situation in Libya and in particular the Central Mediterranean route.