Malta calls for EU humanitarian mission in Libya

Malta on Tuesday urged the European Union to launch an "immediate humanitarian mission" in Libya to help stem the flow of illegal migrants during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Mediterranean island nation's foreign minister said the EU teams should distribute food and medical supplies worth at least 100 million euros ($110 million).

Evarist Bartolo's letter to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell came a day after border guards reported locating four dingies between Libya and Malta with a reported 258 people on board.

Both Malta and Italy have closed their ports to migrants to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Germany's Sea-Watch International said it feared that one of the boats carrying 85 people had actually capsized and those aboard had drowned.

"Malta denies us safe harbour," the group said on Tuesday. "We demand safe harbour."
He estimated there were "over 650,000 people waiting to leave Libyan shores for Europe as the rate of departures accelerates due to conflict, disease and lack of basic needs."