[5] The vessels are armed with machine guns and they mount a firefighting water cannon on the aft fly bridge.

[8] On 25 May 2019, P21 assisted the P52 with the rescue of 216 migrants after distress calls were received from 2 rubber dinghies during the night.

On 25 July 2019 P21 was again on hand to rescue a group of 76 migrants that were found in distress in the Maltese SAR zone.

The group of 8 migrants were extracted due to their ailing health which were brought to Malta aboard the P21.

[11] In September 2012 P22 intercepted a boat full of illegal immigrants about 25 nautical miles south of Malta and rescued 11 of them.

[19] On 4 August 2019, P23 entered port carrying another group of 40 migrants that were transferred from the NGO ship Alan Kurdi.

[21] In July 2012, the Austal-class P24 towed its predecessor, the decommissioned Swift-class P24 (formerly known as C24), from the AFM base at Haywharf in Floriana to the Malta Freeport in a handover ceremony.

[23] On 27 June 2019 P24 rescued a group of 66 migrants and brought them safely to Hay Wharf naval base, were they handed over to the police.

Favourable weather is a big factor in the huge number of migrants arriving in Malta.

[24][25] On 9 July 2019, P24 rescued a group of 44 migrants that were found in distress during the night in the Maltese SAR zone.

[26] On 26 August 2019, P24 ferried into harbour a group of 73 migrants that were found in Malta's SAR zone aboard a small dinghy.