Rescued migrants hijack merchant ship off Libya, demand it heads toward Europe

**David48atTD** · 28-03-2019, 01:46 PM

Authorities have identified the hijacked ship as the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1.

Migrants hijacked a cargo ship that rescued them in the Mediterranean Sea and forced the crew to put the Libya-bound vessel on a course north toward Europe, authorities in two European countries have said.

Key points:

Italy's interior minister Matteo Salvini said it was "the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants" as alleged hijackers
The Italian and Maltese governments have both vowed to keep the vessel from their territorial waters
There was no immediate word on the condition of the ship's crew

The Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1 had rescued about 120 people on Wednesday (local time), Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said, when migrants seized control of the ship six miles from the Libyan coast.

The new route put the ship on course for Italy's Lampedusa island and the island nation of Malta.
The Governments of both countries have vowed to keep it from their territorial waters in the Mediterranean.

Mr Salvini described the incident as "the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants" as alleged hijackers.
"Poor castaways, who hijack a merchant ship that saved them because they want to decide the route of the cruise," Mr Salvini, who heads the anti-migrant League party, was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency.

"These are not migrants in distress, they are pirates. They will only see Italy through a telescope."

There was no immediate word on the condition of El Hiblu 1's crew.

www abc net au/news/2019-03-28/rescued-migrants-hijack-merchant-ship-off-libya/10949882

**Norton** · 28-03-2019, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by David48atTD

the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants

Build a wall and make Libya pay for it.

**VocalNeal** · 28-03-2019, 03:03 PM

Find the refugee with the wooden leg. He is the mastermind. He will be masquerading as the ship's cook. I've seen the movie.

**Latindancer** · 28-03-2019, 03:15 PM

And the parrot that swears !

**harrybarracuda** · 28-03-2019, 09:26 PM

VALLETTA, Malta — A Maltese special operations team boarded a tanker on Thursday that the authorities said had been hijacked by migrants after they had been rescued at sea, returning control to the captain and escorting it to port.

Armed military personnel stood guard on the ship’s deck, and a dozen or so migrants were also visible, as the vessel docked at Boiler Wharf in the Maltese city of Senglea. Several police vans were parked on shore to take custody of the migrants for investigation. Four men who were led off in handcuffs were believed to be suspects in commandeering the vessel.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/world/europe/malta-migrants-hijack-ship.html

**HermantheGerman** · 29-03-2019, 05:12 AM

Thanks to Poland, Hungary and others, Naval ships will no longer be a part of the European Union's Operation Sophia. Tens of thousands of refugees were rescued by EU vessels, with many of them being brought to Italy.

Maybe Great Britain can take over

**Norton** · 29-03-2019, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

Maybe Great Britain can take over

**baldrick** · 29-03-2019, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

Tens of thousands of refugees

what do you think the refugees should do ?

**jabir** · 29-03-2019, 10:55 AM

The Governments of both countries (Italy and Malta) have vowed to keep it from their territorial waters in the Mediterranean.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Armed military personnel stood guard on the ship’s deck, and a dozen or so migrants were also visible, as the vessel docked at Boiler Wharf in the Maltese city of Senglea.

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