After 17 days of complete silence the family of a Maltese man who is being held in Libya has broken its silence.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, the family of Carmelo Grech said that “For now we would like to thank the Maltese government and the Tobruk Charges d’affairs Mr Al Habib Al Amin for being in contact with the Libyan authorities who are holding our father.”

The Malta Independent contacted the Grech family to ask them if they know about Mr Grech's whereabouts.

Mr Grech, better known with the Musrati people as ‘Charlie’, left Malta to Libya on 13 August and was arrested when he landed at Labraq airport.

When asked if any contact has been made with Mr Grech, the family answered that they can’t wait to see him in Malta in the coming days. They added that “he is kept in good health and treated very well by the authorities”.

The sea captain, who knows Libya well, was reportedly detained over a visa blunder.

In a press conference by the Tripoli Charge d’affirs Hussin Musrati last Wednesday he said that the 60-year-old was not travelling with a visa issued by the Tripoli government. Mr Musrati said he was informed that the Maltese captain was possibly being held by a Libyan militia for ransom or possibly by men loyal to General Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, the military commander of the forces of the Tobruk government. If the latter was true, he said, the Tobruk government should make sure he was released.

The Maltese captain, who has a good relationship with the Libyan community, is well known and was a supporter of the revolution against Gaddafi. In 2011 he used his vessel to ferry doctors and medicine to the port city of Misurata.

 

In a statement on Tuesday evening the government said it is closely following the case and it is also in contact with the man's family.