NEWS | Wednesday, 14 January 2009

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Not all the rescued migrants onboard the motor tanker Overseas Primar could be disembarked by the Armed Forces of Malta rescue-launches, as the inclement weather did not let up enough to allow a full and safe offloading of the 161-strong group that were onboard.
The motor-tanker yesterday manoeuvred nearly half a mile closer to shore and attempted swapping its anchored position with another bunkering barge vessel in the area, so as to try to facilitate the mid-sea transfer of the migrants.
On Monday night, a joint Italo-Maltese rescue helicopter crew flew in perilous near-gale force 8 winds to medically evacuate an eight-month pregnant migrant to Mater Dei Hospital.
At around 11:40am, the two Maritime Squadron rescue launches Melita-1 and Melita-2 started to take on the migrants from the motor-tanker, and managed to convey 58 of them to shore to awaiting police and AFM personnel.
Earlier yesterday as well, the search for the missing Maltese diver continued briefly by means of an Italian Air Force AB212 helicopter who attempted to overfly the search area, but had to call off the operation as visibility was low with a severe foggy haze covering the area and still dangerous strong winds.
Since its arrival off Maltese shores, the Overseas Primar could not either receive requested blankets or food resupply.
Its captain Nicomedes Ruan has already signalled his concerns to the ship’s OSG Ship Management Ltd’s office in Athens, Greece, for his 25-man crew’s safety and health given the increasing lack of accommodation and stores.
Nor could the crew provide full medical assistance to those sick migrants. The vessel is also loaded with unleaded gasoline.
As the wind is expected to change due south-west, it is planned to have the Overseas Primar approach the better sheltered approaches to Grand Harbour at some 4 miles out, and to reattempt completing the illegal migrants conveyance to shore.

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