The vessel was in distress after springing a leak and was spotted some five miles south of Delimara.

The AFM vessel was on a routine patrol mission to the south of the island when the craft was spotted at around 4.15am. The boat was in distress and in imminent danger of sinking as it was taking on water with 17 men and eight women aboard. The wooden boat – not more than five metres long – was steaming north, sources said, when for some reason the vessel seemed to have sprang a leak, probably because of the stress placed on it by the overload of passengers.

AFM officers helped the passengers aboard the patrol vessel and after a preliminary assessment of their health condition, took them to Hay Wharf where they were then handed over to police officers from the immigration section, who are investigating the matter. Verifications are still pending, however it seems that the immigrants are Somali nationals.

Officials from the Health Department were called in to give the immigrants a medical test, following which they were taken to the Safi barracks were they will be detained, pending further proceedings. Their health condition is said to be good.