A record number of Maltese living abroad made the journey to Malta to cast their vote in yesterday's general election.

Two main reasons are attributed to this surge. First, this time round the main parties did not make any efforts to disenfranchise those who have been living overseas.

The law states that to be eligible voters should have lived in Malta for six months of the past 18 months to be eligible to vote. Second, the number of Maltese who now work abroad has shot up since Malta joined the EU in 2004. A spokesman for Air Malta told The Sunday Times that the airline had received 3,200 requests from eligible voters to make use of the subsidised fares scheme introduced for this election. Under the scheme, voters had the opportunity to vote by paying a mere €35 for a return fare, including taxes.

More than half - 1,750 - are living in various parts of the UK. Another 600 arrived from Brussels and Luxembourg, the main seats of the EU institutions, while another 375 flew over from neighbouring Italy.

Rumours that a flight operating from Manchester on Thursday night was delayed because the runway lighting system was turned off were dismissed by Malta International Airport yesterday.

An MIA official said that although the lights of the runway went out at about 11 p.m. due to a technical fault, the airport remained open as the emergency lighting system kicked in.

"At no time was the airport's runway closed. The fault was restored in 30 minutes," he said.

Airline sources said that flight 147 from Manchester arrived 30 minutes behind schedule and landed at 11.45 p.m., though the case was unrelated to the lighting system.

Voting documents from the electoral office had to be collected by midnight on Thursday.