Two groups of migrants landed in Malta separately yesterday, a total of 188 people that included a woman who gave birth aboard an AFM rescue boat.

They were picked up by the Armed Forces of Malta within a span of 12 hours.

Early in the morning, the AFM were alerted to a group of 136 people aboard a 10-metre long rubber dinghy that had been spotted about 72 nautical miles south of Malta.

The dinghy was holding 86 men, 43 women and seven children, including a newborn baby.

As the AFM rescue boat was heading back to base with the migrants aboard, a woman gave birth to another baby.

The boat arrived at Haywharf, Floriana, at about 3.30 a.m. And early in the afternoon, a group of 49 men, two women and a young girl landed at Xrobb L-Għaġin, Delimara.

The army said its rescue and coordination centre was informed that early on Saturday morning, two Italian fishing vessels had been diverted to the dinghy’s area to lend assistance.

A patrol boat and aircraft were sent out and the migrants were rescued from their sinking dinghy.