A group of would-be illegal migrants were on Sunday hanging on a tuna pen in rough seas off the coast of Malta, the Maltese army said, the dpa reported.
The migrants' boat apparently capsized near the tuna pen some 55 nautical miles south of the island and an army boat was dispatched to rescue them.
The Maltese tuna pen owner said about 28 migrants, including five women, were onboard and required assistance. The migrants, all Somali, claimed that six of their party were missing.
The immigrants were expected to be brought to Malta by patrol boat on Sunday evening.
The Maltese army rescued another group of migrants in similar circumstances on June 8.
In the meantime, another badly decomposed body was removed from the sea south of Malta on Saturday, prompting fears of more drownings involving fleeing Africans.