Updated Monday at 10.05am 

Two young men have been found alive, more than two days after being reported missing off Blata tal-Melħ in a case which gripped the country.

Nick Johnson, 21, and Mark Petric, 19, are being hospitalised for exposure to the weather elements, but are in good health, according to officials. 

A 57-year-old fisherman alerted the police around 6am that he had spotted two men calling out for help from within the rocks, between Baħrija and Mtaħleb. 

The search had been underway since fishermen found two bags containing clothes, mobile phones and shoes around 5am on Saturday in the area limits of Rabat.

The two were last seen riding their bicycles on Friday afternoon. The bikes were later found in a cave near Fomm ir-Riħ.

Details are now emerging of their ordeal.

A friend, Francesca Vincenti, told Times of Malta that the men were clinging to the rocks inside a sea cave for the entire time over the weekend.

The two men (circled) before they were rescued.

"They left their bikes and went down for a swim, as they knew the area fairly well. But minutes after they went into the sea, they realised it was going to be very difficult to get out again as the wind and sea were really picking up. There were stairs leading up the cliff on either side but they could not get to either of them. They saw the boats passing by, searching for them, but their cries could not be heard above the raging sea.

Ms Vincenti said the men had to assess the situation and realised that their best bet would be to get into one of the caves nearby.

"They saw the boats passing by, searching for them, but their cries could not be heard above the raging sea," she said, after leaving their sides at the hospital. 

"The first and second caves were impossible but the third offered them enough shelter and they decided to stay there.

"I think that the hardest thing to do was to stay there until it was safe enough to swim out, and they told us that there were many times that they were tempted to do so, but stopped each other from doing so.

"They kept encouraging each other to stay alive and keep calm. As soon as the seas calmed down this morning, they were able to swim out," Ms Vincenti said.

The power of prayer and the support of the public has been incredible. The AFM and the police were exceptional. It is a Santa Maria miracle

Relatives and friends refused to give up hope, in spite of the Force 5 seas. Ms Vincenti said that they were convinced that they were still alive and she - a sailor with decades of experience - and some sailing friends who were on site yesterday realised that the sea caves were probably the best bet.

"We actually pointed out to the police where the caves were as we were sure that they would be found in there.

"It is an unprecedented miracle. The power of prayer and the support of the public has been incredible. The AFM and the police were exceptional. It is a Santa Maria miracle..."

AFM rescuers were at that time concentrating on a meticulous search of the sea, assuming that the men might have been washed out.

A helicopter was immediately deployed and the patrol boat sent to the area, where the men were seen waving, unable to believe their good fortune at being found.

An AFM spokesman said they swam out to the patrol boat which took them to a waiting ambulance at the nearest point.

They were found at the base of the cliffs close to the area where their clothes were discovered.

The extraordinary news of their recovery was broken by the mother of one of two missing men, Kerstin Panzavecchia, who reported on her Facebook page that the two youths reported missing on Saturday were both found alive.

Police officers were immediately dispatched to identify the men, and a helicopter was also deployed.

Read: Call for drone pilots to help in search

A call for drone pilots was sent out to help with the search yesterday, which was due to resume this morning. The man who coordinated the search, Paul Vincenti, told the Times of Malta - still emotional after the find - that is was not yet possible to say what role the drones had played in the recovery but that there was no doubt that they were an important addition to the official search and rescue.

"The drones can cover hundreds of square kilometres and it is clear that our response was enthusiastic but could have been better. We need to set up a formal structure and train our pilots to be able to offer a more coordinated effort."

More details to follow.