The Maltese registered fishing trawler Lorenzo Madre has been located, through the coordinates obtained during a satellite phone-call to the overdue missing crew by one of their wives, the Armed Forces of Malta said yesterday.

It was at 12.30pm that Joan Kedri, wife of Ali Kedri who forms part of the trawler’s crew, who informed the AFM’s Operations’ Centre at Luqa barracks that she had been in touch via satellite phone with her husband before the line went dead as he was saying “Hello”.

Later at 2.35pm, Mrs Kedri was in touch again with the AFM Operations’ Centre, who had been coordinating a thorough search in the estimated drift area and beyond since the first call last Sunday, stating that her husband Ali managed to get in touch again himself this time, confirming to her the trawler’s position via the sat-phone’s onboard GPS.

He also added that one of the three-crew members onboard needed medical assistance. It also transpired during the couple’s sat-phone conversation that the trawler was out of action, the AFM said.

The GPS position furnished plotted the trawler’s position some 72 nautical miles south-east of Malta.

An Italian Air Force AB212 search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopter of the Italian Military Mission in Malta was dispatched to the area to provide assistance as required, locating the trawler at about 4.40pm.

One injured crew member was being airlifted to St Luke’s Hospital yesterday evening, and the other two crew members refused to leave their vessel.

The trawler’s parent company, Fish-to-Fish Ltd, is organising a tow back to Malta, the AFM said.

The AFM wishes to specially acknowledge the valuable assistance of ELSACOM Satellite Service and their local agents, Medcomms Ltd, for aiding the location of the fishing trawler.