A photo showing the rubber dinghy with the five Eritrean illegal immigrants and their interception by AFM crewmen on a patrol vessel has just been released by the Armed Forces of Malta.

The photo was taken from the FRONTEX-operated Casa-212 Aviocar patrol and surveillance aircraft.

"This declassified image shows clearly the excellent and clean state that the intercepted rubber dinghy was in, as well as the good state of health of the occupants, who can be seen sitting down," the AFM said.