Libyan ship spotted off Malta coast

February 22, 2011

Italian navy says it is monitoring a Libyan " naval asset " in the Mediterranean,

but is not clear about its intention.

Last Modified: 22 Feb 2011 15:41 GMT

The Italian navy has told Al Jazeera it is monitoring a Libyan " naval asset "

that has stalled off the coast of Malta.

Al Jazeera's Cal , reporting from the Mediterranean island on Tuesday, said

" we can come to a conclusion that it's some kind of military ship but they're

not describing to us exactly what it is.

" They don't know whether the ship is defecting. It's being watched closely by

the Italian navy, by the Italian air force, as well as by the air force and navy

here in Malta. "

However, a report in the Times of Malta's website quoted the Maltese forces as

denying they were monitoring any Libyan warship.

The move comes a day after two fighter jet pilots defected to the island nation,

saying they had been ordered to fire on civilians.

" Malta has become a departure point and entry point for people trying to flee

Tripoli [Libya's capital], " our correspondent he said, adding there was chaos at

the local airport.

" The smallest European country, this tiny island of Malta, has become the

central point of European countries to get their citizens out [of Libya].

" As the situation develops, perhaps ... we'll see more and more Libyan officials

coming here to defect, because it's just geographically close. "

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