Updated 5.30pm, adds AFM's comments

Twenty four people are stranded on a sinking boat in Malta's search and rescue Zone, the NGO Alarm phone said on Thursday.

It said the boat has been at sea for four days and is now taking in water. No provisions remain on board. 

NGO are demanding an immediate rescue.

The NGO said it had called on the Armed Forces of Malta to intervene immediately, amid concern that weather conditions are deteriorating in the area where the boat is located. 

Asked for a reaction, the AFM said it is not in a position to make comments at this point as the situation is still developing.

It added: "AFM reaffirms its commitment to coordinate cases within its search and rescue region."

The boat is in Malta's SAR zone

The AFM was criticised last week for failing to respond after another migrants' boat located in Malta's SAR between Malta and Libya. A German cargo ship which went to the site could not get the migrants on board because of its high freeboard. 

Alarm Phone said the Maltese authorities refused to coordinate the rescue, and referred to the responsibility of the flag state since the ship was German. Another German cargo ship eventually rescued the migrants and they were  later transferred the migrants to the rescue ship Sea Eye 4, operated by a German NGO.The operation was coordinated by maritime authorities in Bremen. 

The AFM, which operates Malta's rescue centre, said last week it had no knowledge of the case.