VALLETTA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Malta denied entry to and cooperation with a vessel which belongs to an anti-migrant organization, local media reported on Saturday.
"The ship is not welcome to our shores because of all that it stands for," a government spokesman informed local media, adding that the vessel never made an official request to berth in Valletta.
The ship, C-Star, belongs to an anti-immigration movement called Defend Europe, an organization set up by French, Italian and German citizens.
They released a series of tweets claiming the Maltese government had refused them entry in Malta.
"Malta, that has become the gate for illegal immigration to Europe, is closing its borders for European citizens," they added.
The C-Star crew claimed Malta had denied them fresh water and had forbidden supply vessels to engage with them.
The government spokesperson confirmed that this was the case, clarifying this was not an emergency situation.
"If the vessel was in need of humanitarian aid or was in an emergency then it would be a different situation," he stated.
Defend Europe's aim is to patrol the Mediterranean Sea to sink abandoned migrant traffic ships and watch over NGOs who they claim are smuggling hundred thousands of illegal migrants to Europe.
The group accuses migrants of "destroying European culture, tourism and security".
