Twenty migrants today escaped from Safi detention centre this morning, the government detention services centre said in a statement.

The escape occurred at around 10.15am, with nine of the migrants captured before midday.

All the migrants who escaped are Moroccan, except for one of the escapees, who is from Egypt.

They scattered around the fields between Safi and Żurrieq. Most did not even have shoes.

The migrants arrived in Malta recently.

The police and officers from the Detention Service are engaged in the search for the 11 who remain missing.  Some roads have been closed off. 

Anyone who spots any of the migrants is asked to call the police on 21224001 or 119.