A businessman and his family were the only Maltese people on board a small cargo ship carrying 46 evacuees who arrived in Malta from Tripoli yesterday, after a 35-hour journey.

Exhausted after what they described as a horribly rough journey, the evacuees, who were naturally relieved to have finally made it to Malta, are from about 20 countries, namely Italy, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Lebanon, UK, Denmark, Cuba, Ecuador, Russia, Belgium, France, Greece, Algeria, Austria, US, India, Holland, Ukraine and Belarus. A number of officials from embassies in Malta welcomed the evacuees upon their arrival in Grand Harbour.

Most of them were somewhat reluctant to talk about their experience, but they did speak of a shortage of food and water, and hospitals being overwhelmed with patients.

The evacuees included the four Italian journalists – Domenico Quirico, Elisabetta Rosaspina, Giuseppe Sarcina and Claudio Monici – who were kidnapped and held by suspected Gaddafi loyalists some days ago, and whose driver was killed. They were only held for a day or so before being released last Thursday.

The Italian journalists were unwilling to speak to the Maltese media, saying simply that they were in good health. They however looked visibly tired, as were all the evacuees who arrived yesterday.

Three Italian contractors who formed part of the group had been released from a prison in Tripoli. Their passports had been taken away from them, so officials from the Italian embassy in Malta made arrangements with respect to their documentation. There were other evacuees who had no passports and needed to have their documentation sorted out.

The group of evacuees also included Dutch glamour model Talitha van Zon, an ex-girlfriend of Colonel Gaddafi’s son, Mutassim. She told The Sunday Telegraph in an interview that rebels had captured her and threatened to burn her alive.

She had told British media that she was with Mutassim Gaddafi on the Friday before rebels attacked Tripoli. “... he calmly drank Jack Daniels whisky and coke as he toasted a victory over the rebels.

“But the next day, the rebels backed by Nato airstrikes, launched a surprise attack on Tripoli and Mutassim joined fighters.”

She did not speak to Maltese reporters yesterday.

The Triva 1 had made an attempt to dock in Tripoli on the weekend of 20-21 August, but it came under fire and was forced to retreat out to sea. It returned to Malta a few days later for a crew change, still not having managed to dock in the Libyan capital’s port.

The ship – slightly bigger than a tug-boat and without the amenities to cater for passengers – then returned to Tripoli, docked successfully, and made its way back to Malta, carrying the evacuees. It was meant to be a 16-hour trip, but sea conditions being quite bad on Sunday, it turned out to be a long, rough journey for the evacuees.

A man who identified himself as an Austrian journalist told journalists at the Sea Passenger Terminal in Valletta yesterday: “There is fighting left and right. You don’t know who the fighters are.” He said people are afraid to go out and the shops are empty, but added that he would go back when the situation improved.

Another journalist from the Netherlands said, referring to the arduous 35-hour trip: “I never enjoyed Malta as much as today”.

A Serb woman, who like others was carrying a bag with some water, juice and biscuits, which were given to them upon their arrival in Malta, said she hoped for the best in Libya. She too said the boat trip was difficult but worthwhile.

Another man who did not identify himself just said: “Thank you, thank you, thank you”, while a Canadian man said the war is very bad and added “they’ve bombed a lot”.

A Maltese man, Mark Attard, arrived with three members of his family, saying he intended returning to Libya once the situation improved. He said he has been working in Libya for 11 years.

And a British surgeon described the situation in Libya as very unstable, with supplies running very short and hospitals being overwhelmed with patients.

A French journalist said that it would have been faster to drive to the Tunisian border, but it was certainly more dangerous to do that. “There are areas which still support Gaddafi. If they see foreigners, they shoot them,” he said.