Gozo Channel ferries were forced to pause their operations after divers in Ċirkewwa disrupted the service on Saturday, police said.

According to executive chairman Joe Cordina, several ferries were unable to leave the Maltese port after recreational divers were spotted in the area close to the ferry ships late on Saturday morning.

Police were informed and handled the situation, he said.

The delay was due to multiple divers in the area, a police spokesperson confirmed. Nobody was injured, they said, adding that they were informed of the issue at 11.30am.

The disruption threatened to complicate travel plans for the thousands of commuters who cross between islands on the weekend, yet was resolved by 12.10pm.

One commuter told Times of Malta that they spent almost an hour on a moored ferry, waiting to depart.

At 11.50am, Gozo Channel webcams suggested two marshalling areas at the Ċirkewwa port were filled with cars waiting to depart for Gozo.

A live map of ferry routes indicated three of the company's four ferries were at sea, awaiting permission to dock at Ċirkewwa, with a fourth ferry docked at the port, unable to depart.

However, a few minutes later, ferries were already back on the move after police and Transport Malta officials moved the divers away from the area, police said.