It is unfair to criticise the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) over the death of a four-year-old migrant girl, because had it not been for their search and rescue efforts, many more people could have died, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri insisted on Saturday.
“Some activists are unjustly levelling criticism at AFM. That boat was in the search and rescue zone of three other countries before it entered our zone, but only Malta conducted a rescue operation immediately,” he said, asking activists why they did not say anything when the boat was in other rescue zones.
“Had the AFM not conducted its efforts the way it did, we could possibly be speaking about many more deaths today.”
Camilleri was speaking during an interview with Andrew Azzopardi on 103 Malta’s Heart.
He said AFM coordinated the rescue operation with seven other sea vessels just in time to prevent more deaths.
“For the government and for the AFM, there are no conditions when it comes to human lives,” he said.
A girl reportedly did, however, die of thirst at sea while waiting to be rescued along with other migrants earlier this month.
Four-year-old Loujin Ahmed Nasif was among a group of 60 distressed migrants with her mother, father and sister.
Moroccan-Italian activist Nawal Soufi told Times of Malta she was following the family’s ordeal and calling on the Maltese authorities to save them, but nobody turned up.
Loujin and her mother were eventually airlifted to a hospital in Crete but the girl did not make it.
Soufi said the girl died of thirst in her mother’s arms, saying, “Mum, I’m thirsty”.
Soufi and Malta’s Integra Foundation are now accusing the Maltese government of failing to take action earlier which could have saved the girl’s life.
Meanwhile, several activists in Malta, Archibishop Charles Scicluna and president emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca took to the streets in a vigil for the girl.
Coleiro Preca said she was disappointed that Malta had been mentioned as one of the countries that “left the girl out cold to die” and in a homily, Scicluna said parliament owes people an explanation as to how the tragedy was allowed to happen.
And as people were discussing whether the state should erect a monument in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, who had just passed away, journalist Peppi Azzopardi called on people to consider a monument for Loujin, in remembrance of the girl who was left to die at sea.
But on Saturday, minister Camilleri commended AFM, saying they carried out a diligent operation.
His comments echo AFM’s own replies to questions sent by Times of Malta last week.
AFM said that when they were notified of the situation, they diverted “all available assets to the rescue of the irregular migrants".
They said they diverted a merchant vessel which took the migrants to the nearest place of safety, Crete, “in accordance with the applicable conventions”.
AFM said that due to the fact that the boat was so far out at sea, had the ship not been immediately diverted, “the number of casualties would have been higher”.