A small craft with 26 people on board was intercepted yesterday by personnel of the Armed Forces of Malta who were patrolling the island on board patrol vessel P52 at around 7.40pm.

The craft was intercepted around 23 nautical miles south of Malta.

The AFM said the operation to track and intercept this craft began early yesterday morning, following information received that the craft was some 60-70 nautical miles south of the island and proceeding towards shore.

The 26 people on board the 21-foot craft, powered by an outboard engine, claimed they are of Somali nationality and include eight women, two of whom are pregnant.

Twenty-five irregular immigrants, all of them men, were taken into custody after the boat they were on put into Birzebbuga on Tuesday.