Malta: immigration dilemma

Malta pleas for EU help to deal with influx of African immigrants as it struggles to deal with current situation

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The island of Malta is the front line for illegal immigrants heading for Europe. This week alone, dozens of African migrants packed onto two small boats were rescued just a few miles from its shores.

Malta has appealed to other European countries to share the burden more equally. They insist they won't become Europe's holding camp, but their appeal has fallen on deaf ears.

The tiny island, between the southern tip of Italy and the north African coast, is struggling to cope with more than seven thousand illegal migrants who have landed there over the last five years.

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