An expert mariner testified on Thursday that the El Hiblu’s tracking system was not operational as the ship, at the centre of an alleged hijack, changed direction and headed back to Libya during a voyage back in March 2019.
Details of the sea journey were outlined in court during a hearing in the ongoing compilation of evidence against three youths, then aged 15, 16 and 19, accused of terrorist activity when they allegedly seized control of the vessel, making it change course towards Malta.
Their story made international media headlines and triggered persistent calls from human rights activists worldwide for criminal charges to be dropped.
During previous sittings, other migrants, who had been on board the ship, testified that the three youths had stepped in to calm down their fellow migrants when panic took hold as they realised that the ship was heading back to Libya.
The youths were among a group of boat people who had left Libya in small vessels, hoping to make it to Europe.
But after being rescued by the “big ship” they spotted land ahead and soon realised that they were being taken back to Libya.
The court heard how the accused had been approached by the ship’s captain to communicate his message to the rest of the migrants, assuring them that they would be taken to Europe.
Details of the voyage, with specific reference to El Hiblu’s speed and changes in direction, were outlined by Joe Gabriele, a master mariner, appointed as expert by the magistrate conducting the inquiry in April 2019 into the alleged incident.
Reading from the conclusions of his report, the witness said that his task was to gather as much information as possible from the ship itself and the equipment on board so as to understand the ship’s course.
From March 22 to 14:18UTC on March 26, the El Hiblu appeared to progress uneventfully at an estimated speed of 9.52knots.
From 14:18UTC to 18:00UTC the ship progressed east to northeast at an average speed of 9.7knots.
From then on, the ship progressed at full speed, heading north for two hours and then headed back to Tripoli at full speed.
The ship’s AIS (automatic identification system) was not operational at that time, said the witness.
On March 27, the ship, heading southwest and approaching Tripoli port, gradually altered course to starboard away from Tripoli and headed towards Malta, reducing speed as it approached within 10 nautical miles south-southeast of the island.
The witness also presented a nautical chart, with all stages of the journey plotted thereon.
That testimony practically wrapped up the prosecution’s evidence.
Prosecuting Inspector Omar Zammit informed the court, presided over by magistrate Nadine Lia, that the prosecution had no other witnesses, save for any further direction from the Attorney General’s Office.
The court minuted that the prosecution had “definitively rested its case” and adjourned the proceedings to November.
Lawyers Neil Falzon and Gianluca Cappitta were defence counsel.