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Captain Of MV Lifeline Rescue Vessel That Saved 234 Migrants Cleared Of Criminal Intent

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Maltese courts have cleared the captain of MV Lifeline, a NGO-operated migrant rescue vessel, of any criminal intent for the role he played in bringing refugees to Malta.

In June 2018, MV Lifeline saved 234 migrants off the coast of Libya and was eventually brought to Malta amid ever-growing diplomatic standoffs in the Mediterranean.

An ad-hoc agreement between several European countries meant the vessel was eventually able to enter Maltese ports. However, the ship’s captain Claus-Peter Reisch was charged with entering Maltese territorial waters illegally without proper registration or a licence.

The vessel was impounded by transport authorities.

Last May, Reisch was fined €10,000 by a court over the ship’s failure to have the correct registration when entering Maltese waters. However, they vowed to continue fighting and appealed the decision.

Writing on social media today, the Aditus Foundation announced that Reisch was now a free man.

“The judge was not convinced he ever had any criminal intent, which has always been our basic point…he only wanted to save lives,” the NGO wrote.

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Julian is the former editor of Lovin Malta and has a particular interest in politics, the environment, social issues, and human interest stories.

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