Malta overturns conviction of rescue ship captain

Claus Peter Reisch had been fined more than Dh40,000 for illegally entering Maltese waters

The Mission Lifeline when it was awaiting a place to disembark. EPA

A Maltese court has overturned the conviction of a German migrant rescue ship captain and revoked his €10,000 fine (Dh40,863).

Claus Peter Reisch had been found guilty in May 2019 of entering Maltese waters aboard the Mission Lifeline vessel without a valid permit but the appeals court found there was no criminal intent in his actions. He described the news as “unbelievable”.

A crowdfunding page set up for the Lifeline crew’s legal costs had raised nearly €210,000 (Dh857,564) by the time of the trial.

The private vessel had been carrying 234 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean when it entered Maltese waters in June 2018. Eventually the ship was allowed to dock and the would-be refugees were distributed across Europe, but not without a continent-wide dispute first.

The ship was impounded but Lifeline spokesperson Axel Steier said it was hoped it would now be returned.

“We are very relieved and happy. Now we know that we did everything right,” he said.

But Mr Reisch legal problems are not over. He separately faces a potential €300,000 (Dh1,225,324) fine from Italy after he defied a ban on entering Italian waters last September. The boat, the Eleonore, was seized after disembarking with some 100 migrants onboard despite warnings not to do so.

The then interior minister, hardliner Matteo Salvini, had banned three charity vessels from entering Italian waters as part of his anti-migration approach.

Soon after his acquittal in Malta Mr Reisch pleaded for financial support for his Italian legal case and has launched an additional crowdfunding campaign. So far it has only raised €1,816 (Dh7,417).

“There was a risk of hypothermia. Given the inhumane and dangerous situation, I had to declare the emergency and act contrary to the instructions of the authorities. People's lives simply have priority,” he wrote on the crowdfunder as he explained why he had to enter Italian territorial waters.

“In doing so, I violated Mr Salvini's so-called security decrees,” Mr Reisch said, adding that he could face up to 20 years in jail for aiding illegal immigration.