A number of illegal immigrants escaped from the Safi detention centre on Monday afternoon. The police, together with members from the Armed Forces of Malta captured the illegal immigrants at the Malta International Airport and eventually were taken back to the detention centre.
An AFM helicopter was also dispatched in the area to search for other possible runaway illegal immigrants.
Additionally, following their return at the AFM barracks, the illegal immigrants staged various protests against their detention.
Meanwhile, three Maltese men are being held by the police over the drowning of an illegal immigrant, whose corpse was found last Saturday, The Times reported.
The illegal immigrant together with other 13 immigrants tried to escape from Malta by sea, however, their boat capsized. Three illegal immigrants made it to shore, one drowned and the other nine are still missing. The survivors told the police that they had fled from the Safi and Hal Far Detention Centres.
The men, who are helping the police in the investigations, had allegedly sold the boat to the illegal immigrants. The boat was found by the Armed Forces of Malta around three miles north east of L-Ahrax Point.
Several foreigners are also being questioned by the police in connection with the escape from the Detention Centres and the attempted sea escape. The persons are expected to be arraigned soon.
See also:
Sudanese man detained in relation to illegal immigrants tragedy
By MaltaMedia News - Mar 4, 2006, 20:07 CET
Read more about this issue on MaltaMedia's special feature:
Lanċa Ġejja u OŠ¤ra Sejra: Malta and its migrations.
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