View source for Engineering:P21-class inshore patrol vessel

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image               = Armed Forces of Malta Inshore Patrol Craft, P24 - Flickr - sludgegulper.jpg
| Ship caption             = P24
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Builders                 = Austal, Henderson, Western Australia
| Operators                = {{flagicon|Malta}} Maritime Squadron AFM
| Class before             =*[[Engineering:Patrol Craft Fast|''Swift''-class]]
*''Bremse''-class
| Class after              = 
| Subclasses               = 
| Cost                     = {{ShipCost|MLT|9.3|m|origin=AUS|r=1|qty=1}}
| Built range              = 2009
| In commission range      = 2010-present
| Total ships building     = 
| Total ships planned      = 
| Total ships completed    = 4
| Total ships cancelled    = 
| Total ships active       = 4
| Total ships laid up      = 
| Total ships lost         = 
| Total ships retired      = 
| Total ships scrapped     = 
| Total ships preserved    = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header              = 
| Header caption           = 
| Ship type                = [[Engineering:Patrol boat|Inshore patrol vessel]]
| Ship displacement        = {{convert|40.0|t|LT|abbr=on|lk=in}}
| Ship length              = {{convert|21.2|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam                = {{convert|5.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft               = {{convert|1.83|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion          =*2 × [[Company:MAN SE|MAN]] D2842 LE410 diesel engines each producing {{Convert|809|kW|hp|abbr=on}} at 2100 [[Revolutions per minute|rpm]]
*2 × fixed pitch propellers
| Ship speed               = More than {{convert|26|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range               = 
| Ship complement          = 8
| Ship sensors             = 
| Ship EW                  = 
| Ship armament            =*1 × 12.7mm [[Engineering:Machine gun|machine gun]]
*2 × 7.62mm machine guns
*Fire fighting water cannon
| Ship armour              = 
| Ship boats               = {{Convert|3.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} rigid hull inflatable boat launched from a stern ramp
| Ship notes               = 
}}
|}
The '''''P21'' class''' is a class of [[Engineering:Patrol boat|inshore patrol vessel]]s of the Armed Forces of Malta's Maritime Squadron. They are alternatively known as the '''''Austal'' class''' after their builder.

==Development and design==
[[File:Malta - Floriana - Xatt it-Tiben + Sliema - Tigné Point (Xatt it-Tiben) 01 ies.jpg|thumb|The four patrol boats moored at Hay Wharf in 2014.]]
The Maltese ordered four boats in 2009 from Australian shipyard Austal.<ref name=ArmOrder>{{cite web| url=http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2009/fa-s023_09.html| title= Visit to Australia by Republic of Malta Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs The Hon Dr Tonio Borg| publisher=Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs| access-date=17 April 2009}}</ref> They were due to replace the ''Swift''-class patrol boats ''P23'' and ''P24'' which had been in commission since 1971 and the ''Bremse''-class patrol boat ''P32'' which had been in commission since 1992. The new vessels were built to Maltese specifications and were partly financed by the EU.<ref name=AustalExcellent2009-07-03>{{cite news| url=http://www.austal.com/en/media/media-releases/09-07-03/Excellent-Relationship-Sees-Rapid-Patrol-Boat-Construction.aspx| title="Excellent Relationship" Sees Rapid Patrol Boat Construction| publisher=Austal| date=3 July 2009| access-date=15 October 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903080954/http://www.austal.com/en/media/media-releases/09-07-03/Excellent-Relationship-Sees-Rapid-Patrol-Boat-Construction.aspx| archive-date=3 September 2014}}</ref>

The first two vessels were launched in October 2009.<ref name=TimesOfMalta2009-10-06>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091006/local/new-afm-patrol-boats-launched| title=New AFM patrol boats launched| publisher=Times of Malta| date=6 October 2009| access-date=15 October 2009}}</ref><ref name=AustalDelivery2009-10-06>{{cite news| url=http://www.austal.com/en/media/media-releases/09-10-06/Austal-Launches-Maltese-Patrol-Boats.aspx| title=Austal Launches Maltese Patrol Boats| publisher=Austal| date=6 October 2009| access-date=15 October 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903080950/http://www.austal.com/en/media/media-releases/09-10-06/Austal-Launches-Maltese-Patrol-Boats.aspx| archive-date=3 September 2014}}</ref> All four vessels were delivered to Malta in late 2009, and were officially commissioned on 18 March 2010.<ref>{{cite news|title=Patrol boats to be commissioned on Thursday|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100316/local/patrol-boats-to-be-commissioned-on-thursday.298505|access-date=29 August 2014|work=Times of Malta|date=16 March 2010}}</ref>

The vessels are armed with machine guns and they mount a firefighting [[Chemistry:Water cannon|water cannon]] on the aft fly bridge. They are mainly used for search and rescue purposes, border patrol and to rescue illegal immigrants.

==Service history==
===P21===
''P21'' takes part in various rescue operations, for example in July 2010 she took part in the search for a woman who had been reported missing. The woman was found hiding in a cave after she swam there she was surrounded by jellyfish.<ref>{{cite news|title=Updated: Rescued Briton swam away after being surrounded by jellyfish|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100704/local/briton-saved-in-midnight-rescue-at-sea-after-falling-overboard.316024|access-date=29 August 2014|work=Times of Malta|date=4 July 2010}}</ref>

The patrol boat also regularly takes part in rescuing illegal immigrants, such as the rescue of 11 migrants in September 2012 along with the patrol boats ''P22'' and ''P32''.<ref name=TimesOfMalta2012-09-10>{{cite news|title=11 migrants brought to Malta - others refuse rescue|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120910/local/11-migrants-brought-to-malta.436336|access-date=29 August 2014|work=Times of Malta|date=10 September 2012}}</ref>

''P21'' also responded to the attempted hijacking of a tanker by migrants on 28 March 2019.<ref>{{cite news|title=PR190637|url=https://twitter.com/MaltaGov/status/1111164298154389504|access-date=28 March 2019}}</ref>

On 25 May 2019, ''P21'' assisted the P52 with the rescue of 216 migrants after distress calls where received from 2 rubber dinghies during the night. Both dinghies were inside Maltese territorial water.<ref>http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-05-25/local-news/Armed-Forces-of-Malta-rescue-216-migrants-6736208630</ref>

On 5 June 2019, ''P21'' made 2 rescue operations in what turned out to be a busy day for the navy. ''P21'' responded to a group of migrants that required rescuing. The vessel firstly disembarked 63 of the migrants and then went back to rescue a further 61 migrants that couldn’t fit on the vessel. In total the vessel rescued 124 migrants. On the day P52 and P61 were also involved in further rescue operations that resulted in the navy rescuing 370 migrants in total.

On 25 July 2019 ''P21'' was again on hand to rescue a group of 76 migrants that were found in distress in the Maltese SAR zone.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/76-migrants-expected-to-land-in-malta-this-evening/</ref>

On 12 August 2019 ''P21'' evacuated 8 migrants from the NGO vessel ''Open Arms''. The vessel carried 160 migrants which remained in limbo until a safe port was provided. The group of 8 migrants were extracted due to their ailing health which were brought to Malta aboard the ''P21''.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/afm-to-evacuate-8-migrants-with-health-problems/</ref>

===P22===
[[File:Malta Vittoriosa BW 2011-10-06 10-00-58.jpg|thumb|''P22'' near Fort St. Angelo in the Grand Harbour.]]
In September 2012 ''P22'' intercepted a boat full of illegal immigrants about 25 nautical miles south of Malta and rescued 11 of them. Another 30 people on board the boat refused assistance and continued their journey north.<ref name=TimesOfMalta2012-09-10/>

On 29 May 2019 ''P22'' rescued a group of 75 immigrants clinging to a tuna fish pen. They’ve been at sea for the previous 3 days before being saved by the armed forces of Malta. The immigrants entered port early the following morning.<ref>https://www.timesofmalta.com/mobile/articles/view/20190529/local/75-migrants-found-stranded-on-tuna-pen.711410</ref><ref>https://m.dw.com/en/migrants-rescued-in-mediterranean-taken-to-italy-and-malta-as-unhcr-acts/a-48980857</ref><ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/immigrants-rescued-at-night-brought-to-hay-wharf/</ref>

===P23===
''P23'' takes part in various rescue operations. Her captain and crew were praised twice in August 2011, the first time for helping return a drifting cabin cruiser back to the port,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pulè|first1=Carmel|title=Joint effort to save cruiser|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110816/letters/Joint-efforth-to-save-cruiser.380469|access-date=29 August 2014|work=Times of Malta|date=16 August 2011}}</ref> and the second time for helping and escorting a family whose boat came in distress in rough seas.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Schembri|first1=Ray|title=Grateful for prompt AFM help|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110918/letters/Grateful-for-prompt-AFM-help.385179|access-date=29 August 2014|date=18 September 2011}}</ref>

On 23 June 2019, ''P23'' rescued 24 migrants that were close to shore, near Birzebbuga. The migrants were found on a dinghy and the majority of 16 were all aged 3–16years old.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/majority-of-immigrants-who-were-brought-into-birzebbugia-yesterday-are-children/</ref><ref>https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/boat-carrying-24-migrants-intercepted-off-maltese-coast.718324</ref>

On 26 July 2019, ''P23'' came to the aid of  another group of migrants, this time numbering a total of 67 men. The rescue happened while the vessel was on a regular patrol. This extraction happened just a day after ''P21'' rescued another 76 migrants in similar conditions.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/armed-forces-of-malta-rescue-67-migrants/</ref>

On 4 August 2019, ''P23'' entered port carrying another group of 40 migrants that were transferred from the NGO ship ''Alan Kurdi''. The NGO vessel was due to enter the port of Lampedusa however the Italian authorities refused to provide a safe port. The Maltese government then allowed the 40 migrants to be brought to Malta, only after finalizing a deal with the EU which will take all the 40 migrants. None will remain in Malta.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/alan-kurdi-migrants-expected-to-go-to-germany-following-their-arrival-in-malta/</ref>

===P24===
In July 2012, the ''Austal''-class ''P24'' towed its predecessor, the decommissioned [[Engineering:Patrol Craft Fast|''Swift''-class]] ''P24'' (formerly known as ''C24''), from the AFM base at Haywharf in Floriana to the Malta Freeport in a handover ceremony. From here the decommissioned Swift boat was taken to San Diego where it was restored and placed in the Maritime Museum of San Diego.<ref>{{cite news|title=P24 handed over to San Diego Maritime Museum|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120720/local/p24-handed-over-to-san-diego-maritime-museum.429379|access-date=29 August 2014|work=Times of Malta|date=20 July 2012}}</ref>

In November 2012 ''P24'' collided with a small boat in Marsamxett Harbour. The small boat sank but the man on board jumped and was picked up unhurt by the crew of the patrol boat. The boat was then lifted with slight damage and an inquiry was held.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121127/local/boat-sinks-after-collision-with-patrol-craft.447096| title=Boat sinks after collision with patrol craft| publisher=Times of Malta| date=27 November 2011| access-date=5 May 2014}}</ref>

On 27 June 2019 ''P24'' rescued a group of 66 migrants and brought them safely to Hay Wharf naval base, were they handed over to the police. Favourable weather is a big factor in the huge number of migrants arriving in Malta.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/watch-66-people-are-brought-to-malta-after-being-saved-by-the-afm/</ref><ref>https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/64-migrants-to-be-brought-to-malta-on-thursday.717378</ref>

On 9 July 2019, ''P24'' rescued a group of 44 migrants that were found in distress during the night in the Maltese SAR zone. Amongst the saved there were 4 women and 3 children. The migrants were firstly saved by the ''Alan Kurdi'' and then transferred to the patrol boat.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/sea-eye-says-it-rescued-44-immigrants-malta-armed-forces-denies-involvement/</ref>

On 26 August 2019, ''P24'' ferried into harbour a group of 73 migrants that were found in Malta's SAR zone aboard a small dinghy. Later on that day the AFM rescued another group of 89 migrants in a similar situation. That brings the total rescued for the day to 162 migrants.<ref>https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/73-migrants-to-disembark-in-malta/</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Patrol boat classes]]

{{Sourceattribution|P21-class inshore patrol vessel|1}}