A total of 54 irregular migrants landed in Malta in a span of a few hours yesterday.

At about 6.30am, an anonymous caller informed the authorities about a boatload of irregular migrants at the entrance to Marsaxlokk harbour.

The AFM’s Operations Centre at Luqa Barracks immediately dispatched its Swift-class patrol boat P-24 to the area, and ascertained that all the 27 migrants on board, including the two women, were in good health.

The migrants’ boat was subsequently escorted to Wied il-Buni, near the Malta Freeport, from where the migrants were taken over by the Police immigration authorities for further investigation.

An hour and 15 minutes later, another AFM patrol boat, the P-61, which was participating in joint patrols as part of the Frontex Operation, intercepted another boatload of 27 irregular migrants around 40 nautical miles southwest of Malta. The boat was taking in water and was in danger of sinking.

The 25 males and two females were taken on board the AFM vessel and were brought closer to shore, where the migrants were off-loaded onto another AFM patrol boat, the P-32, and brought in to Haywharf.

The police are investigating both cases.