Police catch newly arrived migrants

The police yesterday rounded up 16 illegal immigrants, all men, in various parts of the south after they arrived by boat early in the morning.

Five of them were caught in Zurrieq, four in Safi and seven in Kirkop.

The police are searching for another two from the same group who are believed to be on the run.

Six of the men are claiming to be Egyptians, five Sudanese, four Tunisian and one Nigerian.

In the afternoon, the Armed Forces of Malta brought in 49 illegal immigrants in two groups who were taken off drifting boats. The groups, claiming to be from Ivory Coast, Congo, Liberia and Togo, among other countries, consisted of 36 men, seven women and six children.