An Armed Forces of Malta offshore patrol vessel has rescued 106 illegal immigrants after their large rubber dinghy developed engine trouble during their journey northwards.

The Maritime Squadron's Diciotti-class P-61 patrol boat was conducting a routine FRONTEX patrol when it was diverted to a position south-west of Malta. The rubber-dinghy had earlier been sighted by an AFM Air Wing Islander aircraft.

The migrants - 86 men and 20 women - were transferred to the patrol boat, which is due back in Malta this evening.

The migrants claimed to have come from Eritrea.

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