A group of 88 illegal migrants, including women and young children, landed last night at Ghajn Tuffieha Bay (Riviera Bay).

The landing was detected at 11.30 p.m. The migrants arrived in a large dinghy. Several large empty water tanks could be seen on board. The migrants said they were from Chad and Somalia.

Four of the migrants were in poor medical condition, including a pregnant woman. They were taken to hospital for treat ment. Some of the migrants said seven others had died on the way and been thrown overboard.

Two patrol boats and a heavy contingent of policemen were on the scene.

Among those who helped the migrants was a shocked crowd attending a Why Not event which offered food and water and called the authorities .

The arrivals were the third group in little over a week. The Ministry of Home Affairs over the past weeks repatriated 133 migrants, including 55 Egyptians who arrived in Malta in two groups on Saturday week and other migrants who were returned to Chad and Nigeria.