A group of 27 illegal immigrants from Somalia was brought to Malta by an AFM patrol boat yesterday afternoon.

The immigrants were handed over to the immigration police for investigation.

The AFM said they were informed by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Rome yesterday morning that a French Navy aircraft had sighted a 20-foot fibre boat with persons on board 28 nautical miles south of Marsaxlokk.

The engine had stalled and the boat was partly submerged, the army said.

An AFM patrol boat was sent to the area to assist the migrants while an AFM aircraft patrolled the area.

The 18 men, eight women and a 16-year-old boy on board the boat were transferred to the patrol boat and taken to Sa Maison.

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