(VALLETTA) - An Italian patrol boat is expected Thursday night in Malta after it rescued 70 clandestine immigrants lost some 30 miles (50 kilometres) west of the Mediterranean island.

The Maltese armed forces said that the immigrants contacted its Operation Centre stating that they did not know their position and that a civilian vessel had ignored them.

The army sent one of its helicopters which located their boat, but a Maltese patrol boat failed to reach them and contact by satellite phone was also lost.

Later Thursday afternoon, the boat was located by some fishing vessels and the Italian coast guard were recovering the immigrants.

Meanwhile the police reported that during the day two more boat loads carrying 50 immigrants were brought in.

Three immigrants were brought by helicopter because of their condition. There were no reports of immigrants dying at sea.

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