Two more corpses recovered from the sea

Another two corpses were fished out of the sea yesterday morning, strengthening the theory that a tragedy involving illegal immigrants occurred in Maltese waters over the weekend.

The bodies, probably those of male illegal immigrants, because of their dark complexion, were plucked out of the sea. This brings the number of corpses recovered over the past three days to seven.

The first was picked up by an armed forces rescue boat from the sea off Cirkewwa, after a tip off from a Gozo Channel ferry official. The dead person had a lifejacket on. Another corpse was later washed ashore at Ramlet il-Qortin.

The armed forces responded to a report that another corpse was spotted in the Portomaso area, though it later transpired it was a large plastic bag. Because of the rough seas, the army had to postpone its search for long periods.

Duty Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera was informed of the two findings and appointed court experts to help her draw up a report. The police are investigating. A half-submerged boat discovered on Monday is suspected to have been carrying the immigrants. The six-metre vessel is similar to the ones used to transport between 25 and 30 immigrants at a time over the last few months.

Sources said the Italian and Maltese authorities are not discounting the possibility that the victims were aboard the boat that was initially spotted some 50 miles off Lampedusa last weekend. Trace of the boat was subsequently lost and it is thought possible that the rough currents in the Mediterranean pushed it towards Malta.

The sources said experts believe more bodies could be washed ashore.

About 150 illegal immigrants, including three new-borns, landed on Lampedusa on board a fishing boat yesterday morning.

Italy and Malta are holding a joint summit tomorrow in Rome to draw up a common strategy in the fight against human trafficking.