Activists and NGO crews staged a protest in Malta on July 7 calling on the Maltese government to allow the rescue ship MV Lifeline to get back to work rescuing migrants crossing the Meditteranean.

The Lifeline was seized by Maltese authorities after it docked in Valletta with 234 rescued migrants on board on June 27.

A case was then brought against the boat’s captain, Claus-Peter Reisch. He is accused of steering the ship into Maltese waters without the necessary registration and license.

Outside the courthouse in Valletta, protesters laid out life vests to form the number 628 – the number of people said to have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean in June.

In a video posted by Mission Lifeline, activists spelt out “Europe kills” using life vests on the Maltese harbour. Credit: Mission Lifeline via Storyful