Only part of boatload of illegal immigrants ask to be brought ashore

It was only two women, a young man and four children out of a boatload of 30 illegal immigrants who asked to be brought ashore yesterday, the army said.

The rest of the immigrants preferred to continue on their way towards the Italian mainland.

The army said that at about 6.15 p.m. yesterday, a Maltese fisherman called the Armed Forces of Malta Maritime Squadron in Haywharf by phone informing them that there was a boatload of illegal immigrants close to Wied iz-Zurrieq.

The army dispatched patrol boats P 24 and P 51 to assist the immigrants.

While the 22 male and one female immigrant continued on their way northwards, the others were brought ashore by the AFM's search and rescue vessel Melita.