An army patrol boat this evening transferred 86 migrants, allegedly Somalis, to Haywharf. They arrived at around 7.30 p.m. Six women, two men, a girl and a baby, who required medical assistance, were taken to Mater Dei Hospital.

Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

The AFM said in a statement it received a report that that there was a boat, possibly carrying irregular migrants, around 30 nautical miles south of Malta.

It sent an Islander aircraft to the area and located the dinghy proceeding in a northerly direction.

The army then sent its patrol boat, which was in the area, to investigate.

There were 86 migrants on board, 60 men, 24 women, a girl and a baby. They said they were from Somalia.

The migrants were transferred to the patrol boat and proceeded to Haywharf.