Updated Thursday 6.30 a.m.

An Italian fishing boat which was being assisted by an AFM patrol boat and an Italian warship, sank while on tow to Lampedusa, the AFM said.

The Giuseppe Castano sent out a Mayday call early on Wednesday afternoon when it was 52 miles off Malta.

Malta rescue centre immediately dispatched a Malta-based Italian military helicopter and the patrol boat.

Fishing boats, and a tug-boat were also diverted to the scene while the Italian warship Casiopea deployed its onboard helicopter.

The AFM said that the immediate danger of sinking was averted by mid-afternoon after a pump was rigged on board the fishing boat. However AFM patrol-vessel P-51 provided another two water-pumps and two operators after the first pump developed a fault.

The fishing boat then started being towed to Lampedusa by another vessel, with three AFM sailors on board to operate the pumps.

However the pumps stopped and the Casiopea was unable to transfer more fuel to the fishing boat for use by the pumps because of deteriorating sea conditions in the area. The fishing-boat's crew were evacuated by rubber dinghy to the Casiopea. Once the tow-ropes were cut, the 80-foot long white hull of the Giuseppe Castano sank just 15 nautical miles East of Lampedusa during the night.

P-51 was granted overnight port access in Lampedusa.