Malta to face unprepared migrant influx

Malta could face an influx of migrants it is currently unprepared for, due to the launch of a new Frontex mission, local media reported Saturday.

Frontex, the EU's border agency, has launched a new operation in the Mediterranean that will no longer be obliged to bring rescued migrants to Italy, as was the case under the terms of the previous mission called Triton.

Launched in 2014, the Triton mission, which was coordinated by Italy alone, required all rescued migrants to be taken to Italy.

However, under the terms of the new mission, Thermis, the obligation will fall on whichever member state is coordinating the rescue mission, potentially meaning that Malta will start to see more migrant arrivals, reported Times of Malta.

A Frontex spokesperson pointed out that rescued migrants would continue to be taken to the nearest place of safety, as is required by international maritime law.

According to the Times of Malta, a number of local NGOs working with migrants voiced concerns that Malta is no longer prepared to deal with an influx of migrants.

Given that Malta had seen a significant drop in the number of migrants crossing over from North Africa, the NGOs said that the country's migrant detention centres had been "dismantled or left neglected with most staff deployed elsewhere".