The Syrian asylum seekers who were rescued and brought to Malta early on Saturday morning probably did not make their way from their homeland but had been living in Syrian communities in Libya or Egypt.

In trying to understand this large and unusual influx of Syrian immigrants in the Mediterranean, NGOs said the boat trip from Libya to be smuggled out of the country was probably their last option to try and re-build their lives.

They noted that the average Syrian immigrant on the fishing boat which capsized 60 miles off Lampedusa was middle class, graduate and probably had some form of livelihood.

Neil Falzon, head of the Auditus Foundation, believes they formed part of the Syrian community in Libya. “Most probably they had moved out of their country a year or two ago, in an attempt to resettle elsewhere – and probably managed to settle down in Libya,” he said.

With the volatile and at times dangerous situation in Libya, tied with the fact that it was impossible for them to go home, they probably felt they had no other option but to move on with their lives and risk the wrath of the Mediterranean sea.

The boat in fact left Zuwara – which was known as a hub for people smuggling even before the 2011 revolution – on Thursday at midnight.

Asked if the immigrants could have made the long journey from Syria, Dr Falzon said: “If you look at the flow of refugees, the majority are seeking refuge in the borders close to Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

“They want to stay in neighbouring countries in the hope that war will be over soon and they can go back home.”

He said Syrian refugees in African countries were not being given travelling visas. “So even if they have the means to buy a plane ticket – they cannot do it because they would not have the right documentation,” he said.

Aditus, he added, has been receiving e-mails from Syrians requesting visa information and telling it their requests to embassies were falling on deaf ears.

Jon Hoisaeter, UNHCR representative to Malta, said that Syrian people had for the past two years been moving out and trying to resettle in other countries.

“Their first thought was not of getting on the boat but to try and settle elsewhere,” he said.

“Syrians usually leave from Egypt – they do not normally cross the sea from Libya. This boat is not typical,” Mr Hoisaeter said.