The Red Cross Society has been slapped with an enforcement notice by the planning watchdog after it set up a ‘maritime station’ at l-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa on a site of ecological importance.

The site is used to coordinate first aid and rescue services which the society provides during the summer months across popular beaches in the northern part of the island.

Action was taken after a camper, water tanks, generator, boat carriers and other structures were placed on a tract of garigue land, which was cordoned off with metal barriers.

The site is adjacent to historic fortifications known as Is-Sur (bastion), constructed by the Knights of St John around 1761.

Furthermore, the enforcement notice says that a large tent was set up next to the jetty at the bottom of the ridge where the Red Cross Society stations its maritime fleet.

It was also pointed out that the area in question is of ecological importance and high landscape value in line with government notice 400 of 1996.

The enforcement notice was issued on July 16 and, by the time of writing, the structures were still on site.

A daily unspecified fine has also been imposed.

Contacted by Times of Malta, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross Society said they had been in contact with the authorities for the past months but declined to comment further as they would be filing an appeal.  

She noted that the structures over which the enforcement had been issued were just a tent and a licensed motorised mobile clinic.

Their purpose is to support a fleet of two rescue boats and three jet skis which are part of a service commissioned by the Malta Tourism Authority to provide safety at sea around the northern coast of Malta.

The society noted that in conjunction with the Armed Forces, Transport Malta and the Mater Dei Hospital accident and emergency department, the vessels based at this unit had been involved in 282 rescue operations on several beaches, even those where none of its staff are deployed on a regular basis.

As a non-profit humanitarian organisation, the Malta Red Cross offered its services in line with its mission statement to prevent and alleviate human suffering, improving the situation of the most vulnerable people with absolute impartiality, the spokeswoman said.