The migrant rescue ship Aquarius, currently at the heart of the second migrant standoff between Italy and Malta in as many months, has run into vessel registration problems and could be stripped of its Gibraltar registration.
Italy has closed its ports to the vessel and demanded that Britain take the 141 migrants on board the vessel in virtue of its Gibraltar registration. Malta has similarly banned the ship, saying the migrants were rescued from areas that were closer to Libya, Tunisia or the Italian island of Lampedusa, than Malta.
The ship has anchored between Italy and Malta awaiting instructions. It was involved in a similar standoff in June, which ended when the ship was allowed to berth in Spain and disembark some 600 migrants it was carrying.
Aquarius in the third migrant rescue ship facing registration issues. The captain of another vessel, the MV Lifeline is facing court procedures in Malta over Dutch registration irregularities, while another ship, the Sea Watch III is being investigated. Both vessels have been blocked in Grand Harbour.
In a statement, the Government of Gibraltar said the Aquarius was bareboat registered in the Gibraltar Ship Registry as a survey...
