The immigrants were drifting at sea 28 miles off the Maltese coast. An Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat was dispatched and brought the immigrants to shore at Haywharf at 4.30pm.On Monday at 7.30pm, the AFM Operations Centre was informed by Malta Radio that a Maltese registered fishing boat was assisting an 18-foot boat with 28 people approximately 22 nautical miles south of Malta.

An AFM patrol craft and an SAR boat were dispatched to the location. The illegal immigrants and their boat were conveyed to Haywharf, and handed over to the police for investigations.

The group consisted of 25 men, two women and a boy and have been accommodated at the AFM and police closed centres.