<br /> <p>The captain of the MV Lifeline, the boat that recently</a> rescued 234 migrants off the coast of Libya, appeared in court in Malta on July 2 charged with entering the country’s waters illegally and lacking the correct boat registration.</p><p>The ship docked in Malta on June 27 after a weeklong dispute</a> between European leaders on the fate of the rescued migrants.</p><p>On Monday, July 2, the boat was confiscated by Maltese authorities and a case was brought against the boat’s captain Claus-Peter Reisch. He is accused of steering the ship into Maltese waters without the necessary registration and license.</p><p>The MV Lifeline sailed under a Dutch flag; however, according to the Dutch registry, it was registered with a yacht club. Mission Lifeline</a> maintain that the boat was sailing with the knowledge of Dutch authorities since September 2017.</p><p>The case was adjourned</a> until Thursday, July 5, and Reisch was released against a bail of €10,000.</p><p>Mission Lifeline released a statement</a> addressed to the German interior minister stating that the investigation was “embarrassing” for the German government who Mission Lifeline said was “hindering maritime rescue.”</p><p>Since Friday, June 29, approximately 218 people drowned</a> trying to cross the Mediterranean from Libya. In total, 1,405 migrants have lost their lives at sea this year. Credit: sea-eye.org via Storyful</p><br />
