People gathered on the shore of Marsaskala today at around 6:30pm as a small boat carrying around nine migrants sailed in near the water-polo pitch. The police, members of the Rapid Intervention Unit and a medical team are on the scene and are investigating the migrants.

Some of the migrants, which included one child and one woman, were carrying backpacks and suitcases, and were wearing winter clothes.

Some of the migrants attempted to escape from the police as they were being investigated; however they were stopped before they could escape.

The police are currently searching the area to ensure no other migrant escaped prior to the boat docking on shore. It is not yet known which country they came from, or their country of origin, but initial indications point towards some of them being from Syria and Libya.

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]