Magistrate carries out on-site inspection of Lifeline vessel

Magistrate Joe Mifsud yesterday morning carried out an on-site inspection of the MV Lifeline as part of the case against the ship’s captain, Claus-Peter Reisch.

Court experts also inspected the vessel’s computers.

Reisch is facing criminal charges over the ship’s irregular registration. The Lifeline was accused of acting as a rescue vessel when it is registered as a pleasure craft in the Netherlands. It was stranded for six days off Malta’s coast as Malta and Italy were involved in a diplomatic tussle resolved when Prime Minister Joseph Muscat brokered a deal which will see nine nations sharing the migrants. Last week, the first 52 of the 234 migrants left for France.

As part of the investigation, Magistrate Mifsud called for an on-site inspection of the vessel and appointed experts to survey the ship and its computers. The defence objected, insisting this had nothing to do with the charges but Magistrate Mifsud insisted the court had discretion on the matter.

Court experts Pierre Zammit Endrich and Martin Bajada inspected the contents of the vessel and its computers.

Mifsud is expected to give a decree tomorrow on whether Reisch should be allowed to leave Malta for a few days to visit his mother. The captain’s passport has been deposited with the court since the start of proceedings a fortnight ago.

The captain was accused of precipitating the crisis when he ignored orders from the Rome rescue coordination centre last month. Prime Minister Muscat said Reisch was largely responsible for the situation.

During court proceedings, it was confirmed that the ship was only registered as a pleasure yacht with a Dutch yacht club.