Malta has banned from its waters an Israel-bound ship believed to be carrying explosive materials, a government spokesman said on Monday.
The spokesman said that the owners of the merchant vessel MV Kathrin had filed a request for permission to enter Malta for a crew change but the request had been turned down. The ship was also not allowed to bunker.
The MV Kathrin was off Sicily late on Sunday and seemed to be sailing towards Malta.
Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, said the MV Kathrin is believed to be carrying containers of RDX Hexogen explosives.
“I implore the Malta government … to act and stop the vessel from advancing,” Albanese said.