VALLETTA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- A group of 24 migrants were rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) on Sunday, local medias reported.
The group was spotted near Malta in a small dinghy at around 6:00pm. An AFM patrol boat was dispatched to intercept them and bring them to shore.
According to local media, the 24 migrants will be disembarked at the army's Hay Wharf base on Sunday night.
No information is available as to the nationality of the migrants.
Government sources said earlier that in 2018, the AFM rescued 2,731 people at sea. The figure was substantially higher than that registered in 2017, when 847 people were rescued in 55 operations.
The second highest number of rescued individuals in the past five years was recorded in 2013, when 1,854 people were saved in 76 operations.
As there have been a clampdown on NGO-run rescue vessels in the Mediterranean in recent months, more migrant boats would require the AFM's assistance.
