VALLETTA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Malta's armed forces rescued 114 migrants from a sinking dinghy 53 nautical miles south of Malta, the government said Monday in a statement.
On Monday morning, during a routine border patrol, the armed forces sighted a rubber dinghy in difficulty, it said.
The rubber dinghy was taking in water. All migrants were eventually rescued by a patrol vessel.
Also on Monday, Malta's government issued anther statement with reaction to the NGO vessel Aquarius's request to enter Maltese ports.
According to the statement, Aquarius was made off the Libyan coast, Tunisia and Italy (Lampedusa) in an operation which was coordinated by the Libyan authorities.
"Malta was neither the coordinating nor the competent authority for such a rescue, and therefore has no legal obligation to make the arrangements to provide for a place of safety. The requests for such vessel to enter ports are unwarranted and without legal standing," the government statement said.
The government also said it is monitoring the situation and in touch with overseas counterparts.
