[WATCH] Israel-bound arms vessel: Harbour Master Fritz Farrugia explains what is going on
Harbour Master Captain Fritz Farrugia details ongoing negotiations and timeline of events between Malta and the Israel-bound vessel anchored just outside Maltese territorial waters
![[WATCH] Israel-bound arms vessel: Harbour Master Fritz Farrugia explains what is going on](https://europe.easybranches.com/uploads/news/2024/10/6894395.jpg)
Malta continues to assess the ongoing situation surrounding the Israel-bound vessel MV Kathrin, Harbour Master Captain Fritz Farrugia said.
“The ship is currently around 14 nautical miles outside Malta, and the authorities, together with other entities continue to monitor the situation,” he said.
MaltaToday met with Chief Officer and Harbour Master at the Ports and Yachting Directorate Captain Fritz Farrugia, who provided a timeline of events on how the situation surrounding the Israel-bound vessel has unfolded.
He explained last July, the vessel started sailing from a Vietnamese port towards the Mediterranean Sea, going around Africa to avoid the Red Sea. Farrugia said the crew wanted to avoid geo-political tensions and piracy in the Red Sea.
On the 27 September, the ship had requested fuel while anchored outside Maltese territorial waters, and as the vessel was not of interest, Malta had provided the refuelling.
“The ship, according to AIS tracking, and according to the investigations we carried out after it was revealed as a vessel of interest, started sailing towards the Adriatic Sea, and for some reason instead of making port, it turned back and re-anchored outside Maltese territory,” the Harbour Master said.
On the day, the ship’s agent informed Malta it was running out of food, water, spare parts and consumables, and since that day Malta has been in constant communication with the vessel.
So far, requests for change of crew and provisions supply have been turned down by Malta.
An delicate situation
Asked if Malta is obliged to help, Farrugia said certain conditions have to be met.
“In this case, due to the circumstances surrounding the situation, and because of the possibility that it could sail towards Israel, Malta is taking a cautious approach. If the ship calls for help to save people aboard, according to international maritime laws, every country has to intervene,” he said.
Two days ago, according to Farrugia, the situation looked like it was escalating, with the crew citing the lack provisions behind their urgency. “In fact, it was communicated to us the ship might radio-in PAN-PAN. In that case Malta would have to intervene.”
The radiotelephony message PAN-PAN is the international standard urgency signal that someone aboard a boat, ship, aircraft, or other vehicle uses to declare that they need help and that the situation is urgent, but for the time being, does not pose an immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself.
Under the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) law, countries have a responsibility to help ships in distress within their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).
This means that if a vessel is in an emergency within 200 nautical miles of a country's coast, its EEZ, the country must coordinate rescue efforts, even if the ship is not their own. They need to provide search and rescue services to assist those ships in danger and help save lives.
Change in maritime flag
Asked whether any other country has been roped in, the Harbour Master said the vessel Portuguese-flagged, and therefore it is their jurisdiction. Malta is also aware if plans by the vessel to change its flag.
“It is a sensitive situation, and so Malta is being cautious,” he said.
Bullying Malta into submission?
Captain Fritz Farrugia was asked whether the ship’s owners were trying to bully Malta into submission by remaining adamant in remaining close to the country.
“I can’t give you a straight answer. We have analysed the wider situation such as: Why did it sail towards the Adriatic Sea, only for it to turn back? Why did it not anchor elsewhere? We have no answer for these questions and that is why we are dealing cautiously with the situation,” he said.
He also pointed out the crew technically has nothing to do with the situation, and so Malta will not do anything to risk their safety.
“They are just following orders. I don’t see the captain radioing-in PAN-PAN for nothing,” he said.
Malta remains in constant contact with the crew, and the country’s authorities, together with the Transport and Foreign Affairs Ministry continue to assess the vessel.
Related
![[WATCH] Israel-bound arms vessel: Harbour Master Fritz Farrugia explains what is going on](https://europe.easybranches.com/images/2024/10/450x250/6894395.jpg)
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
