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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| EU presses Malta to accept African migrants at sea | EU presses Malta to accept African migrants at sea |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The European Commission has urged Malta to allow 102 African migrants rescued from the sea by an oil tanker to enter its territory. | |
| It said the EU state had a humanitarian duty to take in the migrants, who were saved from a boat off the Libyan coast. | |
| Among those aboard the tanker are an injured woman, four pregnant women and a five-month-old baby. | |
| Malta is refusing to let the vessel dock, saying it ignored early Italian and Maltese calls to turn back. | |
| Minister for Home Affairs Manuel Mallia was quoted as saying by the Times of Malta: "There is no doubt that Malta is legally correct... we have documented evidence from the maritime rescue coordination centre of Rome." | Minister for Home Affairs Manuel Mallia was quoted as saying by the Times of Malta: "There is no doubt that Malta is legally correct... we have documented evidence from the maritime rescue coordination centre of Rome." |
| Maltese naval medics visited the tanker on Tuesday to check the state of health of the migrants and distribute food and water. | Maltese naval medics visited the tanker on Tuesday to check the state of health of the migrants and distribute food and water. |
| The tiny island state receives thousands of illegal migrants heading to Europe each year. | The tiny island state receives thousands of illegal migrants heading to Europe each year. |
| Hours before the latest incident, 111 mainly African migrants arrived in a rubber dinghy at Delimara, on the south-east coast. | Hours before the latest incident, 111 mainly African migrants arrived in a rubber dinghy at Delimara, on the south-east coast. |
| Permission denied | Permission denied |
| In the latest incident, the European Commission said that since the ship was now closest to Malta, the island must allow the migrants to disembark as soon as possible. | In the latest incident, the European Commission said that since the ship was now closest to Malta, the island must allow the migrants to disembark as soon as possible. |
| Any dispute over which country should legally take them should be resolved later, it argued. The immediate concern was to save lives. | Any dispute over which country should legally take them should be resolved later, it argued. The immediate concern was to save lives. |
| The master of the tanker M/V Salamis is credited with saving the migrants' lives. He issued an urgent medical request saying one injured woman needed to be taken immediately to hospital. | The master of the tanker M/V Salamis is credited with saving the migrants' lives. He issued an urgent medical request saying one injured woman needed to be taken immediately to hospital. |
| But the Maltese medics who visited the tanker on Tuesday concluded that no evacuations were necessary, the Maltese government was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. | But the Maltese medics who visited the tanker on Tuesday concluded that no evacuations were necessary, the Maltese government was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. |
| The Liberian-flagged Salamis had been en route from the Libyan port of Khoms, bound for Malta, and was reportedly 24 nautical miles off Malta's coast on Tuesday. | The Liberian-flagged Salamis had been en route from the Libyan port of Khoms, bound for Malta, and was reportedly 24 nautical miles off Malta's coast on Tuesday. |
| Malta's government says a patrolling Italian navy ship ordered the tanker to take the migrants back to Libya when it was within 50 nautical miles of the Libyan coast. | Malta's government says a patrolling Italian navy ship ordered the tanker to take the migrants back to Libya when it was within 50 nautical miles of the Libyan coast. |
| "The shipmaster ignored guidance from RCC [maritime Rescue Coordination Centres] because of commercial interests," Mr Mallia said. | "The shipmaster ignored guidance from RCC [maritime Rescue Coordination Centres] because of commercial interests," Mr Mallia said. |
| "This is a matter of principle for us, because if we allow this to take place it will create a dangerous precedent for us. There is no emergency: these people were rescued, they are in a good state, and they were waving at the AFM [Maltese armed forces] helicopter as it descended." | "This is a matter of principle for us, because if we allow this to take place it will create a dangerous precedent for us. There is no emergency: these people were rescued, they are in a good state, and they were waving at the AFM [Maltese armed forces] helicopter as it descended." |
| Mr Mallia said he had spoken to the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmstroem, who had not been "aware of the entire picture". | Mr Mallia said he had spoken to the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmstroem, who had not been "aware of the entire picture". |
| On Sunday the Italian navy rescued a group of at least 90 migrants trying to reach Europe from North Africa by boat, and brought them to the island of Lampedusa. | On Sunday the Italian navy rescued a group of at least 90 migrants trying to reach Europe from North Africa by boat, and brought them to the island of Lampedusa. |
| Last month, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy that the burden of immigration to the EU should not fall on its smallest member. | Last month, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy that the burden of immigration to the EU should not fall on its smallest member. |
| While Malta would do its compassionate duty, he added, it would not leave its doors open wide and "welcome boats from Libya and elsewhere as if nothing happened". | While Malta would do its compassionate duty, he added, it would not leave its doors open wide and "welcome boats from Libya and elsewhere as if nothing happened". |
| "Call us harsh, call us heartless, but we are not pushovers," the Maltese prime minister said. | "Call us harsh, call us heartless, but we are not pushovers," the Maltese prime minister said. |