THE Maltese coastguard's raison d'etre was called into question today after one of its vessels  abandoned a refugee boat within its search-and-rescue (SAR) zone.

The Moonbird, a monitoring aircraft belonging to German refugee rescue charity Sea Watch, informed the authorities yesterday that it had spotted around 25 people without lifejackets trying to use their hands to paddle a small wooden boat in the central Mediterranean.

Italy's maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCC) later contacted its Maltese counterpart, telling it that the case is within its SAR and to assume responsibility.