Police are searching for a group of people who escaped from a detention centre for asylum seekers in Marsa on Tuesday evening.

Their absence was noted between 7.30pm and 8pm.

Sources said that up to 10 people are thought to have escaped from the initial reception centre (IRC).

IRCs are where asylum seekers are temporarily housed when they are first brought to Malta, pending medical screening.

Several hundred migrants are currently in detention pending their transfer to other EU countries in terms of agreements reached before they were disembarked in Malta by NGO rescue ships. The latest arrivals - a group of 96 - were brought to Malta on Tuesday.

Police sources were unable to confirm reports of another migrants' escape from Safi detention centre.

Migrants in Safi have been holding frequent protests calling for their freedom.

 

 

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