Immigrants rescued from drifting boat

A group of 25 illegal immigrants from Somalia and the Ivory Coast landed in Malta yesterday after they were picked up 70 miles south of the island.

The motor tanker Salamina informed the Armed Forces of Malta's rescue coordination centre on Wednesday afternoon that a boatload of migrants had been sighted drifting at sea.

The Salamina was instructed to remain in its position and observe the migrants' boat until the arrival of an AFM Maritime Squadron patrol boat.

The patrol boat reached the scene by the evening and immediately started transferring the migrants. It returned to its Haywharf base in Floriana early yesterday morning.