Two families who had found themselves in Malta after fleeing war in Libya left for Germany this morning, to start a new life there.

Both families, one Somali and the other Eritrean, are headed to Hannover, where they will receive cultural integration courses and German language tuition designed to help with their integration process.

The families were all smiles at Luqa airport this morning, eager to start this new chapter in their lives and become part of German society. They thanked the   Maltese people who had helped them since their arrival last year.

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici was on hand to bid the families farewell and wish them well. He was accompanied by Germany's deputy chief of mission Helmut Resinek.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici thanked Germany for its willingness to help with the reallocation of refugees and migrants given international protection.

Today's departure follows another, much larger one of some 150 migrants, who left for Germany last November. In total, 1,417 migrants have been reallocated to third countries since 2006.