Migrants escape from Malta's detention center

A group of migrants managed to escape from one of Malta's detention centers, the Home Affairs Ministry said on Saturday in a statement.

The ministry did not say how many had managed to escape, but local media reported that there were around 25 of them. The ministry also said the escape happened "in the past hours."

The Maltese government said the migrants managed to force open a metal gate and fled. The migrants are from Somalia, local media reported.

Detention officers have mounted a nationwide search for the group of escapees.