VALLETTA, Malta — The military of European island nation Malta is reporting that migrants have hijacked a cargo ship in Libyan waters.

The Armed Forces of Malta said military personnel were standing by and the hijacked vessel still was in Libyan territory on Wednesday night.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini says the ship’s crew rescued a group of migrants who are thought to have taken control and to be directing the ship toward Malta or Italy’s Lampedusa island.

Salvini said “it would be the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants that hijacked” a cargo ship.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>A small tanker hijacked by migrants rescued off the Libyan coast docked in a Maltese port early Thursday after special operations forces took control of the vessel.

The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) seized control of the Elhiblu 1 as it attempted to enter Maltese waters after the ship's crew were overpowered by the migrants who had earlier been rescued, France 24 reported.

In a statement, the AFM Special Operations Unit said its team was "dispatched to board and secure the vessel," giving control of the ship back to the captain. It said the vessel, with 108 migrants on board, was escorted into Valletta "to be handed over to the police for further investigations."

The merchant tanker had rescued the migrants, who included women and children, in Libyan territorial waters late Tuesday, but instead of returning to Libya, the ship suddenly changed course for Europe after some of the migrants "forced and threatened" the crew.

Migrants fleeing Libya have suffered serious human rights abuses at the hands of some Libyan coastguards, who are funded, equipped and trained by the EU.

Following Italy's increasingly tough line on migration — far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini called the rescued migrants "pirates," and refused permission for them to land in Italy — migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean are frequently returned to Libya once rescued.

Despite agreeing to extend Operation Sophia, the EU's anti-smuggling operation in the Mediterranean, for six months, the European Union said it would "temporarily suspend the deployment of naval assets" responsible for bringing tens of thousands of migrants rescued in the Mediterranean to Italy since 2015.</s>VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — A Maltese special operations team seized a tanker Thursday that had been hijacked by migrants it rescued at sea, and returned control to the captain who was sailing toward a Maltese port with the migrants and crew, armed forces said.

The migrants would be turned over to police for investigation, armed forces said.

Authorities in Malta and Italy said the migrants had hijacked the cargo ship Wednesday after it rescued them in the Mediterranean Sea and forced the crew to put the Libya-bound vessel on a course north toward Europe.

Italy's interior minister, Matteo Salvini, said the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1 had rescued about 120 people and described what happened as "the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants" as the alleged hijackers.

It had been heading toward Italy's southernmost island of Lampedusa and the island of Malta when Maltese forces intercepted it.

The captain had told Maltese armed forces he was not in control of the vessel "and that he and his crew were being forced and threatened by a number of migrants to proceed to Malta." A patrol vessel stopped the tanker from entering Maltese waters, they said.

The special team that restored control to the captain was backed by a patrol vessel, two fast interceptor craft and a helicopter.

There was no immediate word on the condition of El Hiblu 1's crew.</s>The captain of the El Hiblu 1 tanker rescued 108 migrants lost at sea, six miles off the Libyan coast, this afternoon. But some of the people who were saved then took over the boat, according to the Times of Malta. An AFM spokesperson has confirmed there have been reports of a “pirated ship” and it has now turned north towards Malta or Lampedusa.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini confirmed this was not a rescue operation, but an "act of piracy." 

 He said: ”They'll only see Italy using a telescope.”

 The captain also sent out an alert warning the vessel was under piracy. 

 The migrants were said to be trying to avoid being brought back to Libya.

Malta has reportedly deployed military assets, as the boat is believed to be arriving in Maltese waters in less than two hours. 

 The ship will not be allowed to enter local waters, as units were on standby for when the ship arrives, an AFM spokesperson said. 

 Two Libya coast guard ships are believed to also be following the ship. 

 The news comes as the EU said it will suspend ship patrols that have reduced thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean, due to huge objection by populist-led Rome.

The rescues were part of the EU's Operation Sophia, which will be extended by six months after its March 31 expiry date, despite there being no new ship deployments.

 EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said: "Member states have decided to extend the mandate of Operation Sophia for six months with a temporary suspension of its naval assets while member states continue working on a solution related to disembarkation.

 “Sophia is a maritime operation and it is clear that without naval resources, it will not be able to carry out its mandate effectively.”</s>A Maltese special operations team on Thursday boarded a tanker that had been hijacked by migrants it rescued at sea, and returned control to the captain, Malta's armed forces said.

The tanker was being escorted to a Maltese port, where the migrants will be turned over to police for investigation, they said.

Authorities in Italy and Malta on Wednesday said that the migrants had hijacked the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1 after it rescued them in the Mediterranean Sea, and forced the crew to put the Libya-bound vessel on a course north toward Europe.

Italy's interior minister, Matteo Salvini, said the ship had rescued about 120 people and described what happened as "the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants" as the alleged hijackers.

The ship had been heading toward Italy's southernmost island of Lampedusa and the island of Malta when Maltese forces intercepted it.

Maltese armed forces established communications with the captain while the ship was still 30 nautical miles off shore. The captain told Maltese armed forces he was not in control of the vessel "and that he and his crew were being forced and threatened by a number of migrants to proceed to Malta." A patrol vessel stopped the tanker from entering Maltese waters, they said.

The special team that restored control to the captain was backed by a patrol vessel, two fast interceptor craft and a helicopter.

There was no immediate word on the condition of El Hiblu 1's crew.

Humanitarian organizations say that migrants are mistreated and even tortured in Libya, and have protested protocols to return migrants rescued offshore to the lawless northern African nation. Meanwhile, both Italy and Malta have refused to open their ports to humanitarian ships that rescue migrants at sea, which has created numerous standoffs as European governments haggle over which will take them in.

A private group that operates a rescue ship and monitors how governments treat migrants, Mediterranea, urged compassion for the group on the hijacked vessel and said it hoped European countries would act "in the name of fundamental rights, remembering that we are dealing with human beings fleeing hell."

Mass migration to Europe has dropped sharply since 2015, when the continent received 1 million refugees and migrants from countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The surge created a humanitarian crisis in which desperate travelers frequently drowned and leading arrival spots such as Italy and Greece struggled to house large numbers of asylum-seekers.

Along with the dangerous sea journey itself, those who attempt to cross the Mediterranean risk being stopped by Libya's coast guard and held in Libyan detention centers that human rights groups have described as bleak places where migrants allegedly suffer routine abuse.

EU members "alert the Libyan coast guard when refugees and migrants are spotted at sea so they can be taken back to Libya, despite knowing that people there are arbitrarily detained and exposed to widespread torture, rape, killings and exploitation," said Matteo de Bellis, an international migration researcher for Amnesty International.

European Union member countries, responding to domestic opposition to welcoming immigrants, have decided to significantly downscale an EU operation in the Mediterranean, withdrawing their ships and continuing the mission with air surveillance only.

"This shameful decision has nothing to do with the needs of people who risk their lives at sea, but everything to do with the inability of European governments to agree on a way to share responsibility for them," de Bellis said.</s>Ship reported hijacked near Libya by migrants rescued at sea

VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — The military of European island nation Malta is reporting that migrants have hijacked a cargo ship in Libyan waters.

The Armed Forces of Malta said military personnel were standing by and the hijacked vessel still was in Libyan territory on Wednesday night.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini says the ship's crew rescued a group of migrants who are thought to have taken control and to be directing the ship toward Malta or Italy's Lampedusa island.

Salvini said "it would be the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants that hijacked" a cargo ship.</s>VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — Malta armed forces say a special operations team has seized a tanker that was hijacked by migrants and it is now heading to a Maltese port with the migrants and crew.

Malta armed forces said Thursday that control of the vessel was returned to the captain and it was being escorted and monitored to Malta, where the migrants will be handed over to police for investigation.

Authorities in Malta and Italy said the migrants had hijacked the cargo ship after it rescued them in the Mediterranean Sea and forced the crew to put the Libya-bound vessel on a course north toward Europe. The tanker had rescued about 120 people before it was taken over in what Italy's interior minister described as "the first piracy on the high seas with migrants."</s>Valletta, Malta (AP) — Migrants hijacked a cargo ship that rescued them in the Mediterranean Sea and forced the crew to put the Libya-bound vessel on a course north toward Europe, authorities in two European countries said.

Italy’s interior minister, Matteo Salvini, identified the ship as the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1. He said the tanker had rescued about 120 people and described what was happening as “the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants” as alleged hijackers.

The new route put the ship on a route to Italy’s Lampedusa island and the island nation of Malta. The governments of both countries vowed to keep it from their territorial waters in the Mediterranean.

“Poor castaways, who hijack a merchant ship that saved them because they want to decide the route of the cruise,” Salvini, who heads the anti-migrant League party, was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency.

There was no immediate word on the condition of El Hiblu 1’s crew. Other information about the reported hijacking was unavailable or difficult to confirm while the vessel remained at sea.

Italian media reports said the crew planned to take the group it rescued and was headed that way when migrants seized control of the ship six miles from the Libyan coast.

A private group that operates a rescue ship and monitors how governments treat migrants, Mediterranea, urged compassion for the group on the hijacked vessel and said it hoped European countries would act “in the name of fundamental rights, remembering that we are dealing with human beings fleeing hell.”

The Armed Forces of Malta said military personnel were standing by and the tanker still was in Libyan territorial waters as of early Wednesday night.

A Maltese military official told Maltese media the ship was carrying 108 migrants. The official was not authorized to speak to reporters and requested anonymity.

The official also said Malta would not allow the hijacked tanker to enter the country’s waters.

Italy’s Salvini said weather conditions were not good and it was unclear if the tanker would end up approaching Malta or Lampedusa island. But he had a message for the pirates: “Forget about Italy.”

Mass migration to Europe has dropped sharply since 2015, when the continent received one million refugees and migrants from countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The surge created a humanitarian crisis in which desperate travelers frequently drowned and leading arrival spots such as Italy and Greece struggled to house large numbers of asylum-seekers.

Along with the dangerous sea journey itself, those who attempt to cross the Mediterranean risk being stopped by Libya’s coast guard and held in Libyan detention centers that human rights groups have described as bleak places where migrants allegedly suffer routine abuse.

EU members “alert the Libyan coast guard when refugees and migrants are spotted at sea so they can be taken back to Libya, despite knowing that people there are arbitrarily detained and exposed to widespread torture, rape, killings and exploitation,” Matteo de Bellis, an international migration researcher for Amnesty International, said. ”

European Union member countries, responding to domestic opposition to welcoming immigrants, have decided to significantly downscale an EU operation in the Mediterranean, withdrawing their ships and continuing the mission with air surveillance only.

EU officials on Wednesday lamented the move, while Amnesty International and other groups responded by reiterated its view that Europe’s collaboration with Libya to stem migration was a human rights outrage.

“This shameful decision has nothing to do with the needs of people who risk their lives at sea, but everything to do with the inability of European governments to agree on a way to share responsibility for them,” de Bellis said.</s>VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — Malta armed forces say a special operations team has seized a tanker that was hijacked by migrants and it is now heading to a Maltese port with the migrants and crew.

Malta armed forces said Thursday that control of the vessel was returned to the captain and it was being escorted and monitored to Malta, where the migrants will be handed over to police for investigation.

Authorities in Malta and Italy said the migrants had hijacked the cargo ship after it rescued them in the Mediterranean Sea and forced the crew to put the Libya-bound vessel on a course north toward Europe. The tanker had rescued about 120 people before it was taken over in what Italy's interior minister described as "the first piracy on the high seas with migrants."</s>Migrants In Maltese Custody After They Hijack Ship That Rescued Them

More than 100 migrants are in custody after they allegedly commandeered a Turkish cargo ship that rescued them off the coast of Libya.

The migrants' boat was sinking, officials say, when they were saved by a Turkish ship called the El hiblu 1. But the rescue mission turned into a hijacking after the migrants realized they were being taken back to Libya.

About six miles from Tripoli, the migrants reportedly forced the 12-man crew to reverse course, heading back toward Europe. Italy's interior minister, the anti-immigration Matteo Salvini, vowed the migrants would not be allowed into Italy. "They are pirates," Salvini said in Italian in a Facebook post. "The only way they will see Italy is through a telescope."

After hours in the Mediterranean sea, and refused entry by the governments of Italy and Malta for hours, Maltese authorities made contact with the ship when it was about 30 miles away and heading toward that island, the Telegraph reported. The captain told officials he was not in control of the vessel, and was being forced to head to Malta. Maltese armed forces boarded the ship early Thursday morning.

The episode highlighted the continuing tension between migrants seeking a better life, and European countries that refuse to accept them. Migrants have been attempting to flee oppressive governments in Africa and the Middle East for some time, but such hijackings are essentially unheard of. Salvini described the incident as "the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants," the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The humanitarian group Mediterranean Saving Humans said it hoped the European countries would remember that "these are human beings fleeing from hell." Adding that: "We ask that the 108 people on board be considered refugees to be welcomed and protected."

Migrants attempting the sea journey to Europe regularly set off from Libya. Sometimes their precarious rafts sink in the Mediterranean, killing everyone on board. In November, after rescued migrants refused to disembark from a ship returning to Libya, that country's coast guard forcibly removed them and placed them in detention centers. Migrants captured in Libya often say they are subject to torture, or sold into slavery.

This isn't the first time Italy and Malta have rejected African migrants. Last year the mayor of Barcelona offered her city as refuge after the two countries refused entry to 70 migrants rescued by a Spanish humanitarian group.

The European Union said this week that, because of opposition by Italy, it would end navy patrols in the Mediterranean that rescue migrants attempting the voyage across the sea. Its humanitarian mission, Operation Sophia, often brought the migrants to Italy's ports.
More than 100 migrants hijack a merchant vessel that rescued them off Libya's coast, ordering the crew to head towards Malta. Malta's military said the ship would not be allowed into its waters.