48 people sent back to home country two weeks after rescue mission

A group of 44 people were returned to their countries of origin in a police-led operation carried out overnight between Sunday 28 December and Monday 29 December, the Home Affairs Ministry said.

The group had been disembarked in Malta on 12 December after being rescued at sea by the Armed Forces of Malta. One person had died in during the rescue operation.

Their return follows a separate operation carried out days earlier involving four other individuals, bringing the total number of returns over a 17-day period to 48.

The ministry described the latest operation as both large-scale and unusually swift, noting that the migrants had arrived in Malta just over two weeks earlier. The return was coordinated by the Malta Police Force, working alongside various entities and directorates within the Home Affairs ministry, as well as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism.

According to the ministry, the latest operation means that the equivalent of 81% of irregular migrants who arrived in Malta during 2025 have now been returned to their countries of origin. It added that overall arrivals have remained among the lowest on record.

The ministry said irregular arrivals to Malta over the past five years have decreased by 93%, while returns of individuals who do not qualify for asylum have increased.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said Malta continues to apply a migration policy that distinguishes between those entitled to international protection and those who have no legal right to remain in the country.

“Those who deserve protection as refugees are given all the necessary assistance, while those who abuse the system are returned to their country in the most effective manner,” Camilleri said.

He added that completing a return operation within 17 days sends a strong message against human trafficking networks. “This criminal model risks lives at sea, and every time the state attacks this model, the risk of lives being lost is reduced,” the minister said.

Camilleri visited the Ħal Safi Detention Centre during pre-flight preparations, where he thanked staff involved in the operation for their coordination and work.