Updated 7.15pm

A total of 69 migrants were saved by the Armed Forces of Malta on Sunday morning.

The migrants arrived at Haywharf just after 7pm.

In a two line statement, the government said the migrants were rescued by an army patrol boat from a wooden boat in distress some 117 nautical miles south west of Malta.

Meanwhile, Malta is one of five countries that have barred their ports to the NGO boat Sea Watch 3 which saved 31 migrants saved by on December 22.

The migrants have been stranded at sea between Libya and Malta since.

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