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One dead as 44 immigrants land in Malta
Jul 25, 2009, 8:13 GMT
Valletta, Malta - One man is believed to have died as 44 would-be illegal immigrants from Africa landed in Malta early Saturday, police said.
It is the second group of immigrants to land on the small Mediterranean island in 10 days after an unusual lull in human trafficking.
Police were alerted about the arrival by campers on the tourist village of Marsascala and the immigrants were arrested the minute they set foot on land.
The immigrants arrived on board a 30-foot long rubber dinghy, and claimed to have left Libya four days previously. The group, including two women, said they were from Somalia.
They also claimed that one of their party had died in transit and was thrown overboard during the journey.
Another group of 28 Somalis arrived in Malta on July 14.
A pact with Italy has led Libya to curb the use of its shores as a springboard for migrants trying to reach Europe illegally but humanitarian groups have expressed concern for those still wanting to make the sea crossing.
Malta, which in recent years has been at the forefront of would-be immigrant arrivals, is now reporting a dramatic fall in the number of such landings.
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