A Maltese vessel has been detained in Sicily after it breached a number of safety regulations, days after the publication of an inquiry into the Simshar tragedy uncovered a cavalier attitude towards safety at sea.

The 10-metre fishing boat, belonging to a 50-year-old man from Xaghra, was intercepted after it was found to be equipped with only four life jackets for the 16 passengers on board, The Sunday Times is informed.

The boat arrived in the popular resort of Pozzallo on Thursday and, following an inspection, it was discovered that it only had one small inflatable life raft with no certificate.

No other safety equipment, like flares and portable extinguishers, was found on board. No fishing equipment was found on board. The boat is believed to have been carrying several members of the same family.

The vessel was denied departure permission and is still berthed at the Sicilian port.

The Sicilian authorities have communicated with the Malta Maritime Authority, which has forwarded the information to the Fisheries Department for investigation.

The maritime and fishing authorities have consistently underlined the need for reliable equipment on board.

An inquiry into the Simshar incident in July 2008, which left four people dead, criticised the owner's lack of knowledge of the safety and radio equipment on board the doomed vessel.

The report, released last Tuesday, points out how the owner did not know how to activate the distress signals on two safety devices, which would have otherwise saved their lives.

The inquiry's author makes a series of recommendations and calls for compulsory training for fishermen aimed at addressing a "very cavalier attitude" towards safety by fishermen in general.