PRESS RELEASE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF MALTA

Since the beginning of this month, the Government of Malta, through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security and Employment, and the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Malta, the Police, Transport Malta and the Harbour Master, has been working to seek solutions for the vessel Conscience, which has been anchored outside Malta’s territorial waters, while ensuring that national security is safeguarded. This reflects Prime Minister Robert Abela’s commitment to supporting the vessel outside, Malta’s territorial waters.

The two objectives of this operation were to ensure that the persons on board the vessel could be given the opportunity to rest, after days at sea, and for its owner to bring the vessel to a port where it can berth. The first result of these efforts was achieved on 5th May, when six passengers aboard the vessel were assisted by the authorities to enter the Grand Harbour, where they were taken to the airport to board a flight back to their home country.

This work continued over the past few days. The shipowner provided a tugboat, which arrived alongside the Conscience the day before yesterday, with the purpose of towing it. This operation could commence today, as weather conditions become favourable. This morning, preparations were underway for the vessel Conscience to be towed from Hurd’s Bank, where it was anchored, to another port in the Mediterranean.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism coordinated the deployment of a conveyance vessel to approach the Conscience and take its remaining twelve crew members on board, to be brought to Malta and immediately board a flight to their home country.

These actions were made possible with the support of the representative of the International Transport Workers Federation in Malta, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Turkish Embassy in Malta, whose commendable actions are contributing to the successful conclusion of the operation.