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The Aquarius welcomed in Malta

(B2) Malta eventually agreed to host theAquarius, who had picked up 141 people shipwrecked from a wooden boat off the coast of Libya, after five days of procrastination.

The ship of the NGO SOS Méditerranée received formal permission on Wednesday (August 15) to enter Maltese territorial waters. It must dock at Valletta shortly. On board, the 141 people rescued at sea during two search and rescue operations coordinated by the Libyan JRCC.

Two rescue operations

The Aquarius came to the aid of two wooden boats, one small and the other medium-sized, on Friday (August 10). The rescue operations took place off the Libyan coast, with a force 2 wind, the first at 33°29 north and 012°03 east, the second at 33°30 north and 011°51.

A rescue accomplished by the Aquarius off western Libya (credit: B2 / map source: Google map)

In the first boat, rescuers picked up six women and 19 men, mostly from West Africa (Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Bangladesh). In the other, 38 women and 78 men were taken care of, including 67 unaccompanied minors and 2 children under 5 years old. People from Somalia and Eritrea (who may be entitled to asylum), as well as Moroccans and Egyptians (more economic migrants).

NB: Which is a sign that the smugglers had complicity on land, fishermen or residents, who 'lent' or rather rented the boats to the traffickers. The use of wooden boats was common at the start of the migration crisis. It then faded a lot, with traffickers having difficulty obtaining supplies on the local market and using much more fragile inflatable boats.

Five days of waiting

The ship had remained stuck between two potential safe places,” equidistant from Malta and Italy, awaiting a positive response. " We were in a similar situation to two months ago explains Frédéric Penard, from the NGO, on twitter. The Libyan JRCC advised to “ contact another MRCC and request a place of safety according to SOS Méditerranée. The two coordination centers contacted, Maltese and Italian, refused on Saturday (August 11) to welcome the boat. The NGO then extended its requests on Tuesday (August 14) to three other nearest centers: French, Spanish and Greek. Finally, a solution was found allowing a distribution of the people gathered before touching land: Malta welcomes the boat, but its passengers will be distributed in several European countries.

NB: a solution which goes in the direction of the requests expressed, on several occasions, by the Maltese and Italian governments, for a clearer solidarity.

A distribution in several European countries

Five European countries have thus agreed to take charge of a large part of the 255 people who have arrived in Malta in recent days: the 141 people from theAquarius along with 60 of the 114 others rescued by Maltese forces on Monday (August 13) in another relief operation. France and Spain will each welcome 60 people, Portugal around 50 people, Germany 5 people and Luxembourg XNUMX people. This is the second time that such a voluntary mechanism has been put in place, following the one concerning the VM Lifeline. It is " a concrete example of European leadership and solidarity ” rejoices the Maltese government in a communicated. Malta made a concession allowing the vessel to enter its ports, when it has no legal obligation to do so » remember his prime minister, Joseph Muscat.

Yes to solidarity if it is not lonely

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, clarified agreed for humanitarian reasons to support Malta on the condition that other countries also help ". " The treatment of migrants rescued from distress in the future requires an imminent European solution and the solidarity of all Member States »

An ad hoc and voluntary basis

« This solution was found on an ad hoc and voluntary basis, in a spirit of responsibility and solidarity, according to the cooperative European approach that we have consistently advocated " welcomes Emmanuel Macron in a press release issued by theElysée. That " demonstrates the importance of a lasting and sustainable mechanism to avoid repeated crises, in a context of declining irregular flows in the central Mediterranean ". And to announce that France, with its partners, will make proposals in the coming weeks for the implementation of an effective response so that everyone assumes their responsibilities in terms of rescue, disembarkation and solidarity ».

In search of lasting solutions

A decision also welcomed by the European Commissioner for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, who has " thanked » all the countries committed to « their solidarity ". He felt, however, that there was a need for durable solutions. It is the responsibility of the whole EU ».

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)


The withdrawal of the Gibraltar flag

The Aquarius which now flies the flag of Gibraltar may have to change its flag. This British Overseas Territory decided to withdraw its flag from the NGO's vessel, considering that it exceeded the framework of its approval by doing not only search but rescue. The Aquarius will then have to find a new pavilion.

NB: a rather rare procedure for this flag of convenience. It is perceived as a means of pressure from London vis-à-vis the NGO. But it could also be linked to the fear that those collected on board could seek asylum in Gibraltar or even in the United Kingdom.


Other relief operations

During the wait, the Aquarius carried out various operations. On Sunday (August 12), while heading north, he was tasked by the Libyan JRCC to carry out a rescue of ten people in distress, which he eventually spotted a fiberglass boat in Malta Rescue Area (SAR).

The sailors provided life jackets, food and water to those on board the boat. But these have informed that they would like to continue their journey towards the north (= Italy). Aquarius then escorted. Once in the Italian zone, those on board were picked up by an Italian Coast Guard vessel.

Another distress alert was issued several times on Sunday (August 12) and Monday (August 13) by the Italian coordination center (MRCC) for a rubber boat that left Al Khoms (Libya) at 22 p.m. August 11 with about 150 people on board.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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