A violent fight that broke out onboard a fishing boat some 30 miles out at sea has landed five men in court, with one of them nursing a finger allegedly badly severed in the struggle. 

Jonathan Caruana and his brother Adrian, two Marsaxlokk fishermen and owners of the vessel, were arrested and arraigned over the fight that broke out on Tuesday with three Egyptian nationals who were also prosecuted over their alleged involvement in the incident. 

The two Maltese fishermen, aged 33 and 47, pleaded not guilty to attacking the other three, threatening and insulting them, possessing a knife without the necessary police licence as well as unlicensed possession of a Benelli-type firearm. 

Jonathan Caruana was separately charged with grievously injuring one of the alleged victims. 

The argument was sparked by some pending dispute over unsettled debt, the court was told. 

As the fight escalated, giving way to physical violence, one of the Egyptians, who claimed to have been owed money by the brothers, was seriously wounded with a fishing knife. 

Defence lawyer Franco Debono argued that the brothers had been acting in self-defence, requesting bail for the accused. 

After hearing submissions by both parties the court, presided over by magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, upheld the request against a deposit of €1,000 and a personal guarantee of €7,000 each, as well as the signing of the bail book, twice a week. 

The other trio involved in the incident also pleaded not guilty to threatening and insulting the brothers and slightly injuring one of them. 

Ahmed Abdelshafy Farid Kiwan, 28, Ahmed Hossny Elkhamisy, 22 and Mohammed Zakaria Abdelkhalek Abdelwahab, 36, also requested bail which, however, was denied since the men did not have a fixed address in Malta.

Inspector Daryl Borg prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Francesca Zarb were counsel to the brothers, while Martin Fenech was legal aid counsel to the other accused.