Three Armed Forces of Malta patrol boats sailed into Marsamxett Harbour last night with 246 migrants on board, including 48 women and sev-en children.

The mostly Eritrean migrants were rescued by the AFM after the fishing boat they were on stalled about 140 nautical miles southeast of Malta. The boat is believed to have left from Libya and was heading towards Italy.

After landing at the army naval base at Hay Wharf in Pietà, the migrants were taken to the Safi and Ħal Far detention centres.

The AFM dispatched a patrol boat to monitor the vessel’s movements at 5.30am yesterday.

It said the migrants wanted to proceed on their voyage but at about 9.30am the boat stalled.

The migrants raised the alarm in a call on a satellite phone to a priest in Italy who in turn informed the Italian coast guard.

Distress calls were also made to Africans residing in Malta.

At that point, two other army patrol boats were sent to the area and started taking on board the migrants. A tanker in the vicinity was asked to stand by for assistance if required.

The migrants were the second group in less than a week to be rescued by the AFM.

On Sunday, 77 migrants were brought ashore.

Another boat carrying 81 migrants arrived in Lampedusa yesterday morning, the second such arrival in as many days.

An AFM aircraft coordinated the first rescue of migrants by the Italian coast guard.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com