The Italian police have arrested three Egyptian migrants who crossed to Sicily on a fishing boat stolen from Malta, according to the newspaper La Sicilia.

The boat was intercepted at Porto Palo yesterday. The migrants claimed they left Libya with 24 Palestinians.

However, the police found no trace of the Palestinians and established that the fishing boat was stolen from Malta.

The Malta police are helping in the investigations.

The three are expected to be repatriated.

Meanwhile, a Sicilian Magistrate has ordered the re-arrest of Joseph Xerri and Kurt Buhagiar to face charges of human trafficking.

They were first arrested last year after having been allegedly intercepted after disembarking 19 migrants. They are being accused of organising migration from Libya to Sicily via Malta.

The Giornale di Sicilia said the arrest warrant was issued by Magistrate Salvatore Giampiccolo.

The two were first arrested after a 90-minute high speed chase off Sicily in September last year and then granted bail.

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