Easyjet has apologised to passengers left stranded in Malta on Saturday after a flight to Milan's Malpensa airport was cancelled without prior warning. 

In comments to the Times of Malta, the budget airline acknowledged that a "technical fault" had forced the flight cancellation and apologised to passengers, but insisted its ground staff "did everything they could to help." 

The story came to light after passengers, among them many underage English language students, were quoted in Italian media complaining about the airline leaving them high and dry. 

READ: Passengers left stranded in Malta as Easyjet cancels flight

Passengers told Il Corriere della Sera that Easyjet representatives told them that they should make their own travel arrangements and that the airline had no flight alternative to offer them. 

Easyjet appeared to dispute those claims, saying that its staff had provided passengers "with alternative travel options and hotel accommodation." 

"Most passengers arrived in Milan Malpensa yesterday," the airline added.