VALLETTA (Reuters) – Malta’s armed forces saved 180 migrants in two rescue operations in the Mediterranean on Monday, less than 24 hours after picking up another group of 69. On Sunday, a Maltese patrol boat rescued 69 migrants from another wooden boat in distress south-west of the small Mediterranean island. “States need to implement a regional arrangement that provides shipmasters with clarity and predictability on where to disembark refugees and migrants rescued in the Mediterranean,” the UN refugee body said in a statement. Italy this year led the way into clamping down on migrants seeking to come to Europe in search of a better life. It has barred NGO rescue boats from docking in Italian ports and offered more help to Libya to prevent people from leaving.

Source: Egypt Independent January 01, 2019 11:26 UTC