Italy-Malta Refugee Stand-Off Ends

The four day stand-off between Italian and Maltese authorities over the fate of 150 migrants, who included 2 pregnant women and who were stranded on a Turkish cargo vessel in the Mediterranean in stormy weather, is finally over. However, for the migrants themselves, their problems have only just begun.

They were rescued off the Italian island of Lampedusa by the Turkish ship, the Pinar, last Thursday after having spent 6 days at sea in boats that were low on food and water and were in danger of sinking.

Italy initially refused to accept responsibility for the rescued migrants as the Italian authorities claimed the migrants were picked up in Malta's search and rescue area. Malta, who have a long running dispute with the EU, and in particular Italy, over the number of migrants that they routinely have to deal with*, in turn washed its hands of responsibility for the migrants, insisting that under international conventions the migrants should be landed at the nearest safe point i.e Italy. [see map]

In response the Italian government softened its stance and the Italian coastguard delivered drinking water to the Pinar and announced plans to deliver hot meals via helicopter, which subsequently thwarted by bad weather and high seas. Some of the migrants suffering from hypothermia and other medical issues were also evacuated by helicopter to Lampedusa.

Yesterday the Italian authorities agreed to allow the ship to dock and release the migrants into Italian custody on Sicily, where they were taken to detention centres. Most, if not all, will now suffer the fate of of the refugees who have already made it to Italy under their own steam: endless shunting between internment camps around an unwelcoming Italy, till they can be forcibly returned to their countries of origin, if those countries can in fact be established. If not, they will languish in the Italian detention system, where many have committed suicide in recent years rather than suffer the indignity of prolonged incarceration with little or no hope for release or the chance to move on to a European country willing to accept them. [Links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]


* Malta is a very reluctant host to many thousands of destitute migrants from Africa, none of whom set out from their home countries with Malta in their sights. Having set out from the Libyan coast with few navigation aids but heading for Italy, they end up landing at Malta or get into trouble at sea and have to be rescued by Maltese coastguards. Many of the migrants then have to spend upwards of 18 months in the crowded and unsanitary conditions of the Maltese detention centres before being returned to Africa. [see: 6, 7]