A total of 60 illegal immigrants landed here last night after having been rescued at sea in two separate groups.

The immigrants - 51 males, six females and three infants - were brought ashore at Haywharf, in Pietà, after they requested assistance in difficult sea conditions.

Early yesterday morning, a person aboard a small craft some 80 miles south off Malta informed the Armed Forces of Malta via satellite phone that his boat - with 31 persons aboard - was in difficulty due to bad weather.

The army immediately dispatched a vessel and an aircraft to the location.

The AFM crew contacted the people aboard the craft who asked to be rescued and to be brought to Malta. While the rescue operation was underway, a second individual made contact via satellite phone with the Malta rescue coordination centre saying he was aboard a craft that was in difficulty.

The second boat was about five nautical miles south of the AFM's operation.

Once it completed the transfer of the persons from the first craft, the rescue vessel proceeded south and located the second vessel that was ferrying 29 persons.

Malta is requesting the resumption of the EU's border patrols in the Mediterranean, which came to a close last week after just one month.