The government’s “murderous policy” of delaying and avoiding migrant rescues leads directly to the loss of life at sea and this needs to be “reversed,” 47 organisations said.

“The murderous policy adopted by the Maltese authorities must be reversed.”

During a commemoration to those lost at sea on Sunday, the 47 organisations condemned the government for refusing to uphold its search and rescues (SAR) responsibilities and asking for this to change as it is causing the death of many asylum seekers.

This also came after the bodies of eight migrants had been recovered by Italy's coast guard during an overnight operation on Friday in Malta’s SAR zone.

Another two people, a new-born and a man fell into the sea during the crossing and were presumed dead, the coast guard said in a statement, citing survivor accounts.

Survivors reported that the infant died of exposure and that the distraught mother threw the new-born into the sea, according to the news agency ANSA. The man then jumped in attempting to retrieve the body, disappearing in the waves.

On Sunday morning, people gathered in Boat Street Valletta at an event called Bahar Cimiterju, where several speakers spoke and people brought shoes of men, women and children, which were symbolically laid on the shore to represent the many loss of lives and the government’s failure to uphold the basic human right to asylum.

In the organisations’ statement, they pointed out how more than 1,300 people died or disappeared in the Central Mediterranean in 2022, which adds to the death toll of more than 25,000 people who died crossing the Mediterranean since 2014.

“The Maltese government’s continued failure to uphold its search and rescue (SAR) responsibilities contributes to this death toll by putting lives at risk. In 2022, Maltese authorities ignored more than 20,000 people in distress; 413 boats in distress in Malta’s SAR zone were not assisted, and only three boats were rescued by the Maltese Armed Forces.”

They said that people in distress in SAR zones must be rescued without delay as the government’s decisions to delay and avoid rescues leads directly to the loss of life at sea.

They mentioned the death of 4-year-old Loujin as being an example of the consequence of the government’s actions, as she died of thirst in September 2022 after days of being in distress in Malta’s SAR zone.

They added that 24,600 people were pushed back to Libya after being intercepted at sea in 2022. They said that this breaks international law and the principle of non-refoulement as Libya is not a safe place.

“Migrants regularly face torture, rape, and death in the country. Yet, on multiple occasions, Maltese authorities have allowed the Libyan coast guard or instructed private vessels to return people to Libya from Malta’s search and rescue zone. Malta's actions result in the abuse, exploitation, and death of thousands of people, including children.”

The government’s actions, from raiding asylum seekers’ homes and statements made by politicians, all encourage racism and violence, they said.

“Malta and the Mediterranean should not be a place of death but rather a place of refuge and safety. The government must reassess its approach towards migration and engage with those who are dedicated to supporting migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.”

The 47 organisations who endorsed the statement are: Aditus, African Media Association Malta, Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar, Allied Rainbow Communities, Black Lives Matter Malta, Blue Door Education, Caritas Malta, Christian Life Community (CLC - Malta), Dance Beyond Borders, Dar Hosea, Dar tal-Providenza, Faculty of Education, University of Malta, Fondazzjoni Sebħ, Free El Hiblu 3, Humanists Malta, Integra Foundation, Jesuit Refugee Service Malta, Kopin Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo, Malta House of Prayer, Men Against Violence, MGRM, Migrant Women Association Malta, Migrants Commission, Moviment Graffitti, Peace and Good Foundation, PeaceLab, PEN Malta, President Emeritus of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Repubblika, SAR Malta Network, Segretarjat Assistenza Soċjali tal-AKM, SOS Malta, SPARK15, St Jeanne Antide Foundation, Sudanese community, The Association for Justice, Equality and Peace, The Critical Institute, The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, The Good Shepherd Sisters - Dar Merhba Bik Foundation, The Justice and Peace Commission, The Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, The Maltese Association of Social Workers, The Paulo Freire Institute Foundation, The People for Change Foundation, Women's Rights Foundation, and YMCA.