An Air Malta flight to Casablanca had to re-route back to Malta yesterday, half an hour after take-off because one of the passengers, an illegal immigrant, attacked a police escort.

An airline spokesman said Air Malta had been asked by the police to return four illegal immigrants to Morocco. They were accompanied by two police officers.

About half an hour into the flight, one of the immigrants attacked one of the officers but the situation was brought under control after a while.

In the interest of the passengers, however, the captain returned to Malta and the immigrants were held by the police for investigations.

The flight left the island after three hours.