90 African refugees rescued off Malta

Valletta: Some 90 African refugees have been rescued at sea off Malta by a Maltese armed forces patrol vessel, a government statement said.

The refugees, including five women, were transferred from their small boat to the patrol vessel at sea, 25 nautical miles off Malta in the western Mediterranean Sea near Italy, Thursday, Xinhua reported citing the statement.

The refugees, mostly from Syria, Palestine and the Horn of Africa, were intending to travel to Malta and its neighbouring country of Italy via Libya.

This week alone, the Italian navy has rescued a total of 4,000 asylum seekers, local media reported.

The figures have increased rapidly as spring has brought fairer weather conditions for sea travel, the media said.