Malta and the El Hiblu 3 episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 5, 2021 · 26 MIN

Malta and the El Hiblu 3

from The Documentary Podcast · host BBC World Service

This is the curious story of how a child refugee ended up in Malta accused of the most serious crime - of being a terrorist. Lamin was 13 when he ran away from his home in Guinea in search of a better life. He had never even heard of Malta. But after attempting the perilous sea crossing to Europe, he and two other teenagers were accused of hijacking the ship, the El Hiblu, that rescued them and brought them to shore. If found guilty he and the young men could face life in prison. Two years on the case has still not been taken to trial and the three remain in limbo. For Assignment, the BBC’s Europe correspondent Jean Mackenzie travels to Malta to hear Lamin’s story, as she searches for answers about what happened on board the ship that day and why Malta is taking such a tough stance on these young migrants. Producer Kate Vandy.

This is the curious story of how a child refugee ended up in Malta accused of the most serious crime - of being a terrorist. Lamin was 13 when he ran away from his home in Guinea in search of a better life. He had never even heard of Malta. But after attempting the perilous sea crossing to Europe, he and two other teenagers were accused of hijacking the ship, the El Hiblu, that rescued them and brought them to shore. If found guilty he and the young men could face life in prison. Two years on the case has still not been taken to trial and the three remain in limbo. For Assignment, the BBC’s Europe correspondent Jean Mackenzie travels to Malta to hear Lamin’s story, as she searches for answers about what happened on board the ship that day and why Malta is taking such a tough stance on these young migrants. Producer Kate Vandy.

NOW PLAYING

Malta and the El Hiblu 3

0:00 26:28

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Documentary Podcast?

This episode is 26 minutes long.

When was this The Documentary Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on August 5, 2021.

What is this episode about?

This is the curious story of how a child refugee ended up in Malta accused of the most serious crime - of being a terrorist. Lamin was 13 when he ran away from his home in Guinea in search of a better life. He had never even heard of Malta. But...

Can I download this The Documentary Podcast episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!