Illegal immigrants usually hit Maltese shores in small boatloads of 20-30 males. They depart from the Libyan or Tunisian coast, with enough fuel to make it, hopefully to Sicily or Malta. They are given a satellite phone to call for help if they need it in open waters. Then it's up to them to try their luck …
However in the recent months, illegal immigrants' travelling trends seem to be changing. It's not uncommon for women, at times pregnant, to be among the asylum seekers on the boat. Furthermore, the number of immigrants travelling on each boat seems to be on the rise. In early September 2005 alone, 209 illegal immigrants were brought ashore after traveling on just one vessel, followed by the arrival of another 140 sailing on another boat later during the month. November 2005 and February 2006 saw the massive influx of 200 and 185 illegal immigrants respectively, all arriving on two separate boats.
At other times numerous boats carrying a modest number of illegal immigrants hit Maltese shores just hours within one another. On the 28th June 2006 saw the arrival of a vessel with 266 Egyptian illegal immigrants on board. Later during the same day, another 30 immigrants made their way Malta on a separate boat pushing the total of illegal immigrants to arrive in Malta in one day to over 300. In the preceding three days, three separate boatloads of 88 immigrants all together were also rescued.
Some of the boats make shore mistaking
On the other hand during between the 1st January 2002 until end December 2006, 186 persons were granted refugee status, while 2005 persons were granted humanitarian protection by the Refugee Commission. A small number of these foreigners were resettled in Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Germany as well as the United States of America.
However, there is a practical need to see about alternative solutions.
59 illegal immigrants adrift off Libya coast
Aug 29, 2007, 14:05 CET
53 illegal immigrants reach Maltese shores
Aug 28, 2007, 9:00 CET
AFM rescue boatload of illegal immigrants
Aug 15, 2007, 8:26 CET
Two boats bring 31 illegal immigrants to Malta
Aug 14, 2007, 9:00 CET
250-boatload skips Malta landing in Lampedusa
Aug 12, 2007, 10:34 CET
AFM in efforts to rescue more illegal immigrants
Aug 10, 2007, 13:40 CET
AFM rescue boatload of illegal immigrants
Aug 15, 2007, 8:26 CET
Two boats bring 31 illegal immigrants to Malta
Aug 14, 2007, 9:00 CET
250-boatload skips Malta landing in Lampedusa
Aug 12, 2007, 10:34 CET
AFM in efforts to rescue more illegal immigrants
Aug 10, 2007, 13:40 CET
60 illegal immigrants brought into Haywharf
Aug 6, 2007, 10:02 CET
Illegal immigrants rescued from rough seas
Jul 31, 2007, 8:02 CET
28 illegal immigrants brought to Haywharf
Jul 27, 2007, 10:39 CET
Another 28 illegal immigrants to arrive in Malta
Jul 26, 2007, 19:22 CET
55 illegal immigrants rescued off Malta coast
Jul 24, 2007, 9:00 CET
Two illegal immigrants die, one missing at sea
Jul 23, 2007, 10:01 CET
25 illegal immigrants brought into Birżebbuġia
Jul 18, 2007, 09:43 CET
26 illegal immigrants land at Gnejna Bay
Jun 30, 2007, 16:50CET
20 illegal immigrants enter Malta
Jun 30, 2007, 11:53 CET
20 migrants enter Malta on humanitarian grounds
Jun 29, 2007, 19:20CET
27 illegal immigrants brought into Haywharf
Jun 26, 2007, 9:06CET
Two other groups of illegal immigrants enter Malta
Jun 24, 2007, 10:05CET
More illegal immigrant arrivals to be expected
Jun 23, 2007, 19:00CET
Illegal immigrants brought ashore at Haywharf
Jun 21, 2007, 9:25CET
Four migrants saved, AFM recovers body at sea
Jun 20, 2007, 14:19CET
26 illegal immigrants brought into Haywharf
Jun 16, 2007, 17:48CET
AFM patrol vessel recovers more illegal immigrants
Jun 15, 2007, 20:16CET
Illegal immigrant lost at sea prior to AFM rescue
Jun 14, 2007, 18:47CET
28 illegal immigrants brought ashore at Haywharf
Jun 13, 2007, 9:29CET
Another 25 illegal immigrants enter Malta
Jun 7, 2007, 9:49 CET
Adrift illegal immigrants hang on to tuna cages
May 26, 2007, 19:05 CET
Another 26 illegal immigrants reach Malta
May 23, 2007, 18:30 CET
24 migrants saved, another search ongoing
May 22, 2007, 9:00 CET
AFM searches for boatload of illegal immigrants
May 21, 2007 - 18:27 CET
Trawler rescues sole survivor of boat capsize
May 18, 2007, 19:15 CET
Group of 25 illegal immigrants reaches Malta
May 15, 2007, 9:25 CET
28 illegal immigrants reach Marsaxlokk shore
Apr 11, 2007, 09:00 CET
Illegal immigration problems set to escalate
Mar 28, 2007, 10:41 CET
Illegal immigrants land in Wied iż-Żurrieq
Oct 27, 2006, 13:29 CET
Two illegal immigrants die in Maltese waters
Oct 24, 2006, 09:58 CET
Three illegal immigrants missing in Malta waters
Oct 17, 2006, 10:16 CET
21 illegal immigrants brought ashore at Haywharf
Sep 13, 2006, 18:25 CET
AFM rescues 28 illegal immigrants
Sep 9, 2006, 17:17 CET
Illegal immigrants disembark in Birżebbuġa
Sep 8, 2006, 09:24 CET
Woman dies during illegal immigrants' journey
Aug 26, 2006, 10:00 CET
Boatload of illegal immigrants enters Haywharf
Aug 25, 2006, 20:17 CET
31 illegal immigrants reach Għar Lapsi Bay
Aug 21, 2006, 09:59 CET
29 illegal immigrants land in Gozo
Aug 20, 2006, 10:04 CET
More illegal immigrants to commemorate Santa Marija convoy
Aug 15, 2006, 10:56 CET
70 Moroccans who entered Malta in June repatriated
Aug 6, 2006, 09:34 CET
Illegal immigrants feared dead
Jul 31, 2006, 10:25 CET
Illegal immigrants rescued; search ongoing
Jul 30, 2006, 10:27 CET
Another 28 illegal immigrants reach Malta
Jul 28, 2006, 08:12 CET
28 illegal immigrants reach Gozitan shore
Jul 27, 2006, 10:26 CET
AFM monitoring two more boatloads of illegal immigrants
Jul 26, 2006, 19:03 CET
27 illegal immigrants reach Maltese shore
Jul 26, 2006, 10:40 CET
131 illegal immigrants reach Malta in one day
Jul 18, 2006, 10:03 CET
Second boatload of illegal immigrants rescued
Jul 17, 2006, 12:45 CET
Illegal immigrants disembark in Marsaxlokk
Jul 16, 2006, 10:04 CET
Illegal immigrants brought ashore
Jul 15, 2006, 10:01 CET
266 illegal immigrants repatriated
Jul 6, 2006, 09:55 CET
293 given humanitarian status, 15 are refugees
Jul 3, 2006, 17:15 CET
More illegal immigrants rescued
Jun 30, 2006, 07:24 CET
Immigrant numbers arriving tops 300
Jun 29, 2006, 09:57 CET
Almost 300 irregular immigrations in one day
Jun 28, 2006, 17:59 CET
Second boatload of irregular immigrants in one day
Jun 25, 2006, 17:35 CET
Another boatload of illegal immigrants rescued
Jun 25, 2006, 11:47 CET
42 illegal immigrants arrive to Malta
Jun 24, 2006, 10:24 CET
Boat of illegal immigrants carries pregnant women
Jun 22, 2006, 10:20 CET
25 illegal immigrants land in Birzebbugia on World Refugee Day
Jun 20, 2006, 15:45 CET
More illegal immigrants reach Malta
Jun 17, 2006, 18:47 CET
28 illegal immigrants rescued
Jun 10, 2006, 11:06 CET
Illegal immigrants feared dead in boat sinking
Jun 9, 2006, 10:45 CET
Irregular immigrant dies in tragic journey
Jun 3, 2006, 17:00 CET
More illegal immigrants brought in
May 28, 2006, 10:04 CET
AFM save 23 irregular immigrants
May 21, 2006, 18:03 CET
AFM rescue another 25 illegal immigrants
May 24, 2006, 17:14 CET
More illegal immigrants sighted off Maltese coast
May 24, 2006, 11:40 CET
50 illegal immigrants brought ashore
May 20, 2006, 10:02 CET
Illegal immigrants rescued off Maltese coast
Apr 25, 2006, 20:05 CET
1,061 granted humanitarian protection in 2005
Mar 21, 2006, 09:08 CET
More illegal immigrants deported to Egypt
>Feb 21, 2006, 10:00 CET
AFM rescue 185 illegal immigrants
Feb 6, 2006, 09:01 CET
Illegal immigrants refuse to enter Malta
Nov 18, 2005, 18:30 CET
AFM rescue 200 illegal immigrants
Nov 11, 2005, 09:42 CET
20 illegal immigrants land in Wied iż-Żurrieq
Oct 20, 2005, 09:35 CET
Illegal immigrants disembark in Birżebbugia
Oct 18, 2005, 17:56 CET
Runaway illegal immigrants captured
Oct 15, 2005, 08:30 CET
Another 70 repatriated to Egypt, Libya seeks control
Oct 9, 2005, 11:46 CET
70 illegal immigrants deported to Egypt
Oct 4, 2005, 10:15 CET
140 illegal immigrants land at Cirkewwa
Sep 30, 2005, 18:38 CET
Illegal immigrant critical after boat overturns
Sep 27, 2005, 10:00 CET
209 illegal immigrants brought ashore
Sep 26, 2005, 09:13 CET
52 illegal immigrants arrive in Malta over the weekend
Sep 25, 2005, 11:51
26 illegal immigrants disembark in Marsaxlokk
Sep 24, 2005, 10:30 CET
26 illegal immigrants disembark in Malta
Sep 13, 2005, 09:00 CET
More illegal immigrants rescued at sea
Sep 12, 2005, 10:30 CET
Influx of illegal immigrants continues in Malta but recedes in Europe
Sep 7, 2005, 18:05 CET
More than 1,000 illegal immigrants repatriated
Sep 2, 2005, 11:00 CET
More illegal immigrants land in Malta
Aug 30, 2005, 09:03 CET
More illegal immigrants brought ashore
Aug 27, 2005, 09:20 CET
Illegal immigrants brought ashore by AFM
Aug 20, 2005, 09:04 CET
More illegal immigrants disembark in Malta
Aug 18, 2005, 09:12 CET
29 illegal immigrants brought ashore
Aug 17, 2005, 13:45 CET
Another 22 illegal immigrants brought in at Haywharf
Aug 12, 2005, 11:20 CET
47 asylum seekers land in Malta
Aug 3, 2005, 09:00 CET
Influx of illegal immigrants continues to hit Malta
Jul 31, 2005, 18:22 CET
Illegal immigrants disembark near Zebbug, Gozo
Jul 28, 2005, 20:31 CET
24 illegal immigrants brought ashore
Jul 24, 2005, 17:34 CET
26 asylum seekers disembark in Malta
Jul 13, 2005, 09:09 CET
More illegal immigrants brought ashore
Jul 6, 2005, 16:05 CET
26 illegal immigrants brought ashore
Jun 29, 2005, 09:41 CET
