Two migrants were sent to jail on Saturday after admitting to stealing a boat in order to escape from Malta.
18-year-old Ishaq Adam and 23-year-old Adam Ibrahem Hassan, both from Sudan, admitted to the charges in court before Magistrate Ian Farrugia.
Inspector Lara Butters from the immigration section said that police were informed by the Armed Forces of Malta that they had detected a boat some eight miles out from the Malta Freeport.
The boat had been reported stolen from Birzebbuga earlier in the day.
Inspector Butters said that the men had admitted during their interrogation that they had stolen the boat to leave Malta and head for Italy, but ended up stranded because they had run out of fuel.
The boat has since been returned to its owner.
Magistrate Farrugia sentenced Hassan to 18 months in prison and Adam to 20 months.