The 29 people rescued after their boat capsized on Friday are being given psychological support after having witnessed the death of five fellow migrants, but they are still being kept in detention.
The migrants' boat capsized some four miles off Malta during a rescue operation by the Armed Forces of Malta. Injured survivors were hospitalised while the remaining 21 were taken to the Safi detention centre.
Human rights activists have since expressed concern over their detention. The Jesuit Refugee Service and Aditus Foundation said psychological support required a “safe and caring space” and could not be provided in detention.
According to Maltese law and policy, vulnerable people should not be detained.
Subsidiary legislation on the reception of asylum seekers states that “whenever the vulnerability of an applicant is ascertained, no detention order shall be issued or, if such an order has already been issued, it shall be revoked with immediate effect”.
"The authorities were meanwhile trying to identify relatives abroad"
And according to Malta’s strategy for the reception of asylum seekers, vulnerable people “shall not be detained after being released from the initial reception facility”. They should instead be “immediately accommodated at open centres suited to their specific circumstances”.
The strategy specifically says that the vulnerability assessment procedure should take into account potentially traumatic experiences the migrant would have gone through. Once a person is considered vulnerable, the police should be informed so that they are not detained.
Times of Malta asked the home affairs ministry whether the survivors had been offered psychological support and why – considering their detention – they had not been deemed vulnerable.
A spokesperson said they were being provided with all possible medical, emotional and psychological care by medics and mental health professionals who were also present during their disembarkation.
The authorities were meanwhile trying to identify relatives abroad.
“Assessments were initiated immediately following disembarkation and are currently being carried out by the Migrant Health Service. Further decisions will be taken once these assessments have been concluded.”
The spokesperson clarified that those admitted to Mater Dei will be accommodated at an initial reception centre once they are discharged.
A migrant who informed the authorities that he lost a family member was meanwhile admitted to Mater Dei and is now at an initial reception centre.
“The ministry expresses its deep regret at the tragic loss of life at sea during this rescue operation by AFM personnel. Psychological support is also being offered to AFM personnel who were involved in this rescue.”