Malta’s president has appealed for support from the international community on managing an ongoing refugee influx, amid reports that humanitarian organisations struggled to conduct migrant rescues in the Mediterranean over the Easter weekend.
“I urgently appeal to all countries of Europe and the Mediterranean, and to all people of goodwill, to act in solidarity, supporting the humanitarian initiatives currently underway to save lives,” President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said.
At least eight migrants died in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya while trying to reach Europe over the weekend, officials said.
Since Saturday, the Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) said that it has been involved in the “unprecedented” rescue and assistance of nine boats containing as many as 1,800 people.
Migrants rest on the Malta-based NGO Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) ship Phoenix after being rescued in the central Mediterranean off the Libyan coast.
