More illegal immigrants arrive

Another 24 illegal migrants arrived yesterday morning, consisting of 20 men and four women.

The police said they were informed at about 10 a.m. that a group of people, probably immigrants, had been spotted on a boat at the entrance of Marsaxlokk.

Police from the Birzebbuga district and members of the Mobile Squad monitored the movements of the boat until it entered St George's Bay in Birzebbuga, the police said.

Another 32 illegal immigrants were escorted ashore by the AFM last night. The night before, a few illegal immigrants who were with others aboard a boat asked to be brought ashore.

They consisted of two women, a young man and four children. The rest of the immigrants preferred to continue on their journey to Italy.

Meawhile, Reuters reported yesterday that Italy's coastguard recovered the bodies of two migrants found in the sea off the island of Lampedusa but searches continued for up to 12 more bodies spotted earlier by the crew of a military aircraft.

Three boats were dispatched after what appeared to be the 10 lifeless bodies were sighted in Maltese waters, coastguard officials said. Local media said as many as 14 bodies had been spotted.

Officials could not confirm the migrants were dead until the bodies were recovered.

The coastguard said it was also trying to reach a boat with 28 migrants off the coast of Sicily.

Thousands of migrants attempt the perilous sea crossing from Africa to Europe each year, often in crowded, flimsy boats.

Lampedusa, which is closer to Africa than mainland Italy, is a popular entry point for migrants in search of a better life in the European Union.