Migrants' boat capsizes off Malta

A group of 28 illegal immigrants was yesterday afternoon brought ashore after their boat capsized some 65 nautical miles off Malta. Earlier yesterday morning, a Fisheries' Department official from Marsaxlokk informed the Armed Forces of Malta's...

May 17, 2008| Times of Malta 1 min read
Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiPhoto: Darrin Zammit Lupi

A group of 28 illegal immigrants was yesterday afternoon brought ashore after their boat capsized some 65 nautical miles off Malta.

Earlier yesterday morning, a Fisheries' Department official from Marsaxlokk informed the Armed Forces of Malta's operations centre that a tug boat had taken aboard 28 illegal migrants, including a child. The tug boat, Schottland, was towing a tuna cage towards Tunisia at a slow two knots when it sighted the immigrants.

The eight-man crew assisted the recovered migrants, allowing them the use of their cabins and facilities and providing them with food and water.

Later in the afternoon, the AFM's Protector-class patrol-boat P-52 from the Maritime Squadron reached the tug boat and took the rescued migrants on board.

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