Malta has accepted to receive 21 migrants and the corpse of another female migrant who died in transit, following their being rescued yesterday by the Icelandic deep-sea trawler Eyborg, which was in Libya’s Search-and-Rescue Region of responsibility when in a position some 70 nautical miles from Libyan shores.

The decision to accept these rescued migrants was based on humanitarian considerations of the circumstances of their condition, the Armed Forces of Malta said yesterday.

Early on Thursday morning, while the FRONTEX’s Operation Nautilus-2 was still underway, the AFM was informed that the MV Eyborg had taken onboard some 18 men and three women who had been stranded on the walkway atop one of the three empty tuna-pens it had in tow, and when still well within the Libyan search and rescue area.

It is reliably understood that the Eyborg is contracted to one local Maltese fishing operator, and its crew alleged that a further seven to 10 persons from the migrants’ group could still be missing at sea.

While contacts between the AFM, the Eyborg, and the Libyan authorities were underway on Thursday, the AFM remained available to link-up with the Eyborg to transport the rescued migrants and return them to Libyan shores.

The Maltese embassy in Tripoli was also actively involved in the negotiations underway.

While the Eyborg was reminded by RCC Malta of their international obligations to convey the migrants rescued to the closest port, the Icelandic trawler was advised by Libyan authorities that they could proceed to the port of Misurata.

The Eyborg was expected to meet up with the AFM’s patrolcraft P-32 some time after midnight last night, and it is expected to return to its Haywharf Base in Marsamxetto Harbour early this morning.