Tripoli authorities rescued twenty-seven illegal immigrants whose vessel sank in Libyan waters 120 miles south of Malta. They had saved themselves by hanging on to tuna cages, TG.Com reported.

The illegal immigrants’ coordinates were reported to Maltese authorities by the tugboat Budafel. Maltese authorities immediately got in touch with their Libyan counterparts and a rescue operation was launched to save them.

Furthermore, late yesterday morning, AFM was informed that a Spanish-registered tugboat had picked up some 26 other migrants from a boat within the Libyan SRR.

A total of 54 illegal immigrants landed in Malta yesterday.

A group of 25 reached Malta at around 5.20am. The Armed Forces of Malta brought the group ashore at Haywharf. This group of illegal immigrants included 24 men and one woman. Police investigations are underway.

Another group of 29 illegal immigrants – 14 men, 12 women and three toddlers were rescued by AFM. According to AFM sources the illegal immigrants are from Somalia. The group was brought ashore by AFM at Marsaxlokk at around 0.15am. One of the women is heavily pregnant.

Yesterday’s groups brought the total number of arrivals since Tuesday evening to 133, after other groups of 79 illegal immigrants reached the island between Tuesday and Wednesday.