Updated Thursday -
A group of 75 migrants found stranded on a tuna pen were rescued by the Armed Forces on Wednesday evening and brought to Malta early on Thursday.
In a statement, the government said the AFM and the Italian coast guard conducted multiple joint rescue operations supporting the Libyan coast guard.
Last night the Armed Forces of Malta rescued 75 people who were stranded on a tuna pen. UNHCR Malta was at the disembarkation this morning and spoke to the rescued refugees and migrants, who were exhausted, hungry, and extremely relieved to be on land after three days at sea. pic.twitter.com/pacl3zldsJ
— UNHCR Malta (@UNHCRMalta) May 30, 2019
The Italian coast guard carried out other rescues and is taking migrants to Lampedusa.
The rescue is reminiscent of another similar incident in 2008 when a group of 56 migrants were also found clinging on to a tuna pen. The pictures of the rescue then had shocked the world.