The incident involving 15 men who reportedly died in heavy seas last week, and the “lucky” nine who survived and were picked up by a container ship some 100 miles or so off the south-east coast of Malta, is the latest episode in the ongoing saga involving would-be irregular immigrants departing their homeland in search of a better life on mainland Europe.

On Saturday, Italian TV reports said that Italian trawlers had caught three bodies in their nets, another shocking story that once more highlights the plight of thousands of people from Africa who are desperate to leave their loved ones behind, hoping to earn a better living elsewhere. Little do they understand the risks that they take in trying to cross over to Europe.

They are often led to believe in something that is just a mirage, but powerful enough to convince them to part with their hard-earned money and board flimsy sea vessels that are not equipped for a voyage across the open sea. And yet, despite numerous warnings, in spite of the failed experiences of hundreds before them, they continue to make their way across the desert to vantage points in northern Africa, in the hope of finding someone to take them to Europe.

These tragic stories of young men and women also put the spotlight on the difficulties faced by countries like Malta, Italy and Spain. The number of would-be irregular immigrants trying to reach the European mainland is on the increase and very little is being done to prevent them from doing so.

It must be said that it is impossible for North African countries to monitor and patrol their vast coastline. Neither is it easy to prevent thousands of immigrants from entering these countries via the desert borders.

The problem is all too real for countries like Malta, Italy and Spain. Malta’s share of irregular immigrants, on a per capita basis, is much higher than that in Italy or Spain. And, unlike these much larger countries, we neither have the means nor the land mass to take any more. Yet, more keep arriving every week, especially in summer when the weather is more lenient.

The European Parliament delegation that visited Malta a few months ago helped to create greater awareness in Europe on the huge problem that Malta is facing. The parliament approved a motion that called on the EU to pay more attention to Malta’s needs and for greater assistance, both financial and technical. The country has the moral support of the European Union but very little support in other areas. There is very little hope that the EU will accept a revision of the Dublin II treaty that would allow Malta to become a transit point for immigrants. If, and until that happens, we will have to find alternate solutions.

The good news however, is that just over Lm900,000 have been granted to Spain and Malta to fund sea patrols in the Mediterranean. The bad news is that we still have to see how effective these patrols will be, how they will be coordinated and how long the exercise will last. For something similar to be effective, these patrols should last for at least six months to cover the period when the weather conditions are favourable for these boat trips.

The North African authorities have an important role to play in this respect. If need be, the European Union should provide assistance to these countries to step up border and coastal controls. If the flow is stemmed at its source, then the problem will be partially solved.

This is a problem that everybody has to share. Some have a greater role to play in finding a solution but everyone has to make an effort.