An Italian trawler was yesterday caught fishing illegally in Maltese waters.

The vessel, called Mamma Maria, was 16 nautical miles to the southwest of Malta when the armed forces' Operations Centre at Luqa Barracks was alerted about its presence.

An army plane that happened to be airborne at the time tracked down the trawler.

An Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat then instructed the trawler to pick up its fishing equipment and proceed to Grand Harbour.

The army said further investigations were under way.

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