Malta has provided humanitarian supplies to the MV Lifeline, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has tweeted, "despite Malta having no responsibility."
MV Lifeline, the vessel carrying more than 200 migrants off the coast of Libya, is currently at the centre of another diplomatic standoff between Malta and Italy.
Italy's populist, anti-migrant interior minister said Friday that Malta should allow a Dutch-flagged rescue ship carrying migrants rescued from rubber dinghies off the Libyan coast to make port there because the ship is now in Maltese water.
In a tweet today, Muscat said: "Lifeline broke rules by ignoring Italy directions in Libya SRR. They should move from position towards their original destination to prevent escalation. Despite having no responsibility Malta just provided humanitarian supplies and Armed Forces of Malta carrying out medical evacuation of one passenger."
In a second tweet, the PM said that Lifeline informed Malta that no medical evacuation was needed and so the operation was cancelled. Supplies will still be provided, a statement by the Home Ministry said.
Yesterday, a government spokesperson had told The Malta Independent that "as in every case, Malta follows its legal obligations according to all applicable conventions... With regards to the MV LIFELINE, according to MRCC Rome, the SAR cases were carried out within the Libyan Search and Rescue Region and were initially handled by MRCC Rome, with the Libyan Authority assuming the responsibility of the SAR cases. In these cases, Malta was neither the coordinating nor the competent authority."