On Thursday 17th December, 2020 the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte together with Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio visited LNA General Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar including visit to the Libya National Army Headquaters in Ar Rajmah , East of Libya which is located 27 km east of Benghazi.
One of the most important issues amongst other agendas was the release of 18 fishermen (eight Tunisians, six Italians, two Indonesians and two Senegalese) that were arrested on Tuesday 1st September 2020. They were on board two stern trawlers from Mazara del Vallo – ANTARTIDE and MEDINEA of which they were seized by Libyan patrol boats. The accusation made by the Libyan authorities is of having violated the territorial waters, fishing within what they believe to be an area of their relevance, based on a convention that provides for the extension of the EEZ (exclusive economic zone) 12 to 74 miles. The eighteen were even accused of drug trafficking and for their release, the release of four Libyan footballers sentenced in Italy as smugglers of a crossing in which 49 migrants died.
The release was also confirmed by the family members who are waiting in Mazara del Vallo: “Finally – they say – we were waiting for this Christmas present”.
Below images is of MEDINEA leaving Grand Harbour, Malta back to 18th May, 2017 during Blue Fin Tuna (BFT) Season.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Thursday 17th December, 2020