Three Malian men who helped 25 illegal immigrants try to escape from Malta have been jailed for two years each.

Adama Bagayoko, 23, Abdulaziz Seven, 33, and Musa Sangare, 26, admitted involvement in the failed escape.

They asked the 25 migrants for between €1,000 and €1,500 each for a boat trip to Sicily.

Another man, businessman, Angelo Bilocca, 34, of Ħamrun was also allegedly involved and is awaiting trial.

The case first came to light when two members of the group that were trying to leave, Burme Sidibe, 25, and Dasina Brayou, 29, from the Ivory Coast, reported they had been scammed when attempting to leave in July, 2010.

During the investigation, it resulted that Mr Bilocca had picked up the immigrants in a van and taken them to a site near the Jerma Palace hotel in Marsascala where a speed boat was waiting.

After some time at sea, the immigrants were told to get off the speedboat and onto a much smaller craft to continue on their way to Sicily.

They refused and after an argument they were brought back to Malta and denied a refund.