Call out to stand in solidarity with the rescued and the crew of TALIA
and demand a port of safety, either in Malta or Italy!


https://alarmphone.org/en/2020/07/04/rescued-but-not-safe-europe-plays-games-with-52-lives/?post_type_release_type=post 
 
 

Yesterday morning, 52 people in distress at sea reached out to Alarm
Phone. They were in the Maltese Search and Rescue (SAR) zone. RCC Malta
was informed immediately by Alarm Phone but remained uncooperative,
hanging up the phone repeatedly without noting down crucial information
about the boat in distress. In the end, it was the merchant vessel TALIA
(IMO: 7910888, MMSI: 450569000, under the flag of Lebanon) that
conducted the rescue in the Maltese SAR zone (at position 34°42N
013°09E) in the late evening of 3 July, after Sea-Watch’s Seabird had
alerted them to the case. RCC Malta had promised to TALIA to trans-ship
the rescued onto Armed Forces of Malta vessels and to disembark them in Malta.
This, however, did not happen. TALIA was asked instead to move toward Lampedusa
but Italy also denied the merchant vessel to enter Italian territorial waters!

Italy then instructed TALIA to move towards Malta, which it did, but RCC
Malta denied the merchant vessel to enter Maltese territorial waters.
Therefore people and crew are still urgently looking for a place of
safety to disembark.

This lack of cooperation between States is in complete violation with
the essence of instruments such as the SAR Convention: it put lives at
risks and discourages rescue operations.

In light of this irresponsibility of Maltese and Italian authorities,
the TALIA turned to Alarm Phone and the Civil Fleet for support and
guidance.

The TALIA acted according to maritime law by rescuing the people in
distress and offering them shelter. The livestock carrier interrupted
its trajectory in order to carry out a SAR operation – they need a
solution immediately. The health situation of the people on board is
currently deteriorating, several people are in critical condition.

We call out to stand in solidarity with the rescued and the crew of
TALIA and demand a port of safety, either in Malta or Italy. It is the
responsibility and duty of these authorities to coordinate a port of
safety. These games with people who just survived a Mediterranean
crossing have to stop immediately! Let them in!

Alarm Phone & Sea-Watch & Mediterranea

Addresses to contact and demand a place of safety for the rescued people
now:

Prime Minister
Dr Robert Abela MP
Address: Office of the Prime Minister
Auberge de Castille
Valletta VLT 1061
Email: robert.abela@gov.mt
Tel: 2200 2400

Minister for European and Foreign Affairs
E-mail: evarist.bartolo@gov.mt, foreignaffairs@gov.mt

Rescued but not safe! Europe plays games with 52 lives!