Two separate boatloads of migrants were rescued and brought ashore by the Armed Forces yesterday. The first boat, containing 27 migrants, two of them women, was found adrift some 12 miles east of Malta.

The AFM said the Rescue Coordination Centre at Luqa Barracks was informed at about 4.30am by Valletta Port Control that the mv Nordmark had reported a boatload of migrants in its vicinity.

Initial reports indicated the possibility of some migrants being in the water.

The AFM did not indicate why the Nordmark did not pick up the migrants.

It said its Maritime Squadron immediately dispatched the Vittoria class rescue launch, the Melita 1, from its Haywharf Base in Floriana.

This reached the site and located the migrants at 5.53am.

All migrants were taken on board the AFM launch and brought back to base at around 7.55am, under the eyes, the AFM said, of the international media presently in Malta to report the ongoing migration.

Information on the second load of 31 males was scarce, however it is known that the AFM brought them ashore in Marsaxlokk at about 5.30pm.