AFM intercept migrants just off Birżebbuġa

The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) yesterday escorted ashore 28 illegal immigrants, including two females, as their boat neared Malta.

The fishing boat Nuova Lorenzo alerted the AFM Operations Centre to a boat carrying migrants about 40 nautical miles south of Malta at 6.18 p.m. on Thursday. An inshore patrol boat, P32, was immediately dispatched to the area but the search proved futile, the AFM said. The search for the boat continued throughout the night and the boat was intercepted about five nautical miles off Wied Żnuber in Birżebbuġa at 6 a.m. yesterday.

The migrants were transferred to the Immigration Police on arrival at the AFM Maritime Squadron base in Haywharf.