Well informed sources told this newspaper that the Italian authorities chartered an Air Malta aircraft to transport the illegal immigrants from Lampedusa, where they have recently had a large influx.

The sources said the aircraft was used on Tuesday to transport the illegal immigrants from Lampedusa to Comiso in Sicily. The sources continued that this was not the first time that the Italian authorities has requested the service of the Maltese national airline to transport illegal immigrants.

The sources said Air Malta charge the Italian authorities for this service. It is however not known whether the airline charges the normal cost or whether the amount requested just covers the normal costs of fuel and other overheads.

The news of the relocation of the illegal immigrants was broadcast on all Italian television stations and newspapers. The evening news on Canale 5 broadcast footage of illegal immigrants boarding the Air Malta aircraft which was being used to transport them.

According to Italian media reports, the operation to transfer the illegal immigrants staying in the reception centre at Lampedusa began on Tuesday, when Air Malta was asked to send a plane to transport the immigrants.

A group of around 121 immigrants were transported to Porto Empedocle with the ferry which left Lampedusa. There are still a little over 350 non-EU citizens in the centre, almost double the capacity of the building. The Italian authorities told the media that there is an urgent need to empty the centre because other embarkations are expected, due to the improving weather conditions.