Migrants rescued after boat capsizes

An Italian fishing-vessel yesterday rescued 13 would-be immigrants after their boat capsized some 85 nautical miles south-east of Malta, the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) said yesterday.

The migrants say that another five of their group drowned. All the rescued migrants are male.

The Pegaso fishing vessel informed the AFM's Operations Centre of the rescue in the afternoon. After having searched for the lost migrants, it was instructed by the AFM to steer a course towards Malta.

Meanwhile, an AFM Air Wing Islander aircraft was dispatched to conduct an aerial search.

One of the migrants aboard the Pegaso lost consciousness after having swallowed a large amount of seawater.

An Italian Air Force AB212 rescue helicopter from the Italian Military Mission in Malta was scrambled to take the man to Mater Dei Hospital.

An AFM Maritime Squadron went out to meet the Pegaso and bring the migrants ashore.