Rescuers battle weather, stubbornness

Maltese and Italian military personnel battled rough weather and stubbornness yesterday as they rescued three Italian fishermen 65 miles southeast of Malta.

The Armed Forces of Malta said the Malta Rescue Coordination Centre was alerted by its counterpart in Rome at 7.45 a.m. that the Italian fishing vessel Giuseppina Madre was in difficulties some 65 nautical miles southeast of Malta. The small trawler was taking in water and was in danger of foundering. Weather conditions were bad, with rough seas and force eight winds.

The AFM requested the British fleet auxiliary vessel Orangeleaf, which was on its way to Malta, to divert to the area and a Malta-based AB212 helicopter from the Italian Military Mission was deployed. The combined Italo-Maltese helicopter crew attempted to hoist the three crewmen from the trawler but these refused as they were reluctant to abandon their vessel and the helicopter had to return to Malta to refuel.

As conditions deteriorated, the fishermen relented and were eventually winched to safety. Conditions had, by this time, become extremely hazardous, the AFM said.

The Orangeleaf stood by throughout the operation and subsequently tried to salvage the Giuseppina Madre but this proved impossible due to the severe weather conditions and the vessel was abandoned.

Orangeleaf is due in Malta today.