A total of 535 immigrants arrived in Malta yesterday in two separate landings.

The police said this morning that 333 - 227 men, 72 women and 34 children, arrived on one of the boats and 202 - 153 men, 36 women and 13 children, arrived on the second.

The immigrants, who arrived from Libya, claimed to be from Somalia and Eritrea. They were the first arrivals since the conflict between rebels and Gaddafi forces started in Libya last month.

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