Eight migrants stuck at sea must be brought to shore immediately due to their deteriorating health, an NGO has said while not ruling out court action against the Maltese government. 

Rescue ship Alan Kurdi on Saturday requested the evacuation of the remaining migrants on board, claiming they were all suffering from psychological distress. 

The Alan Kurdi has been stuck at sea outside Malta for several days even taking to the Maltese courts in a bid to force the government to bring the migrants to shore.

A press officer for NGO Sea-Eye, which operates the ship, said that should the courts confirm Malta's "undoubted jurisdiction" in this matter, the NGO would also consider discussing "further legal measures".

A group of 13 migrants were rescued at sea by the NGO last Saturday.  

Between Thursday and Friday five people, two of them children as young as 15, were evacuated to Malta. 

One of the evacuated migrants, a 17-year-old unaccompanied minor believed to be from Tunisia, tried to jump off the vessel on Thursday evening but was stopped at the last minute by crew members.

One of the evacuated migrants is transferred from the Alan Kurdi. Photo: Sea-EyeOne of the evacuated migrants is transferred from the Alan Kurdi. Photo: Sea-Eye

"We call on the Maltese Government to put an end to this unworthy standoff," the press officer said.

The press officer told Times of Malta that the situation was growing more and more desperate with each passing day. 

Some of the migrants on board had stopped eating, while others were showing symptoms of prolonged sea sickness in the September swells.  

According to the NGO, some of the remaining migrants on board were suffering from "strong mental overload". 

The team on board the ship had now compiled detailed medical reports on all the eight migrants on board and sent them to the Maltese authorities along with a request for their evacuation.

“Everybody in the remaining group shows symptoms of strong mental overload and distress, some stopped eating days ago and some are still suffering from prolonged seasickness that is already aggravating with today’s weather conditions,” the NGO told the Maltese authorities.  

According to the NGO, the evacuation had become imperative to ensure the migrants safety as well as that of the crew on board.  

A spokeswoman for the Armed Forces of Malta confirmed that the request had been received but said there were no more details at this point.  

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