Illegal migrants brought ashore

A group of 25 illegal immigrants - all men - were brought to Malta yesterday afternoon by the armed forces.

Sources close to the AFM told The Times the migrants were first sighted by Italian authorities who informed the AFM of their location.

The sources said the migrants were drifting within Malta's search and rescue region and the AFM immediately deployed a rescue mission. The migrants were located 76 nautical miles south of Malta. The boat they were on had some mechanical problems, the sources said.

The 25 migrants were taken on board an AFM patrol boat and brought to the army's maritime headquarters in Haywharf, Pietá. The boat they were on was also towed in.

The police said preliminary investigations revealed that 20 of the immigrants were from Sudan, three from Chad, one from Eritrea and another from Pakistan.

More investigations are underway by the immigration police.