A light plane which ditched off Xlendi late yesterday afternoon was pulled ashore and recovered this morning.

Two Italian men who were on board the single-engined float-plane were unhurt when the plane landed on the sea and overturned after an apparent engine failure. The floats kept the plane on the surface, albeit upside down.

The men were picked up by a passing boat.

The plane had taken off from Sicily. An investigation is trying to establish if Maltese air controllers were informed of the plane's presence.

Picture: John Azzopardi mynews@timesofmalta.com