Frontex patrols end

Description: The EU's coordinated patrols in the Mediterranean, aimed at deterring illegal immigration, ended on Sunday 14th Oct., 2007. Operation Nautilus II had been running for more than a month in its second phase this summer, coordinated by the EU's border control agency. "We can confirm that Nautilus II stopped last Sunday as planned," a European Commission source told The Times yesterday. "We believe the illegal migration 'season' is almost over and, thus, there is no need for this mission to continue, at least for this year." The patrols were conducted over a four-month period divided into two phases. The Sicily-Malta-Libya strait was first patrolled for the full month of July. After a controversial pause in August, the mission resumed on September 10, 2007. Apart from the Armed Forces of Malta, the mission also attracted the participation of naval and aerial assets from France, Germany, Portugal, Greece and Spain, although at different levels. During the first phase, Italy had sent a small aircraft as a token participation. However, following a change of heart, it had decided to boost its participation in the second part of the mission by dispatching patrol boats and a frigate. Commission sources said that although it was too early to draw any conclusions on the results of Nautilus II, the first indications were positive for Malta as fewer illegal immigrants arrived on the island in the course of the mission. In the two phases, between July 1-31 and September 10 to October 14