VALLETTA, France -- Seventy-one would-be illegal immigrants to Europe perished when their boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea, according to eight companions rescued Wednesday off Malta, the Maltese police said.

If their tale is confirmed, it would be one of the worst such incidents ever recorded off Malta, a target destination for Africans trying to reach Europe in often flimsy watercraft.

The survivors were plucked out of the water by a Maltese fishing vessel, the Madonna di Pompei, from a semi-submerged dinghy 70 kilometers (40 miles) off Malta, then transferred to a military patrol boat.

An Armed Forces of Malta twin-engine Islander patrol aircraft went out to the area to look for other survivors, but none were found.

It emerged during police questioning that the original group consisted of 79 people -- all men, apart from eight women, four of whom were pregnant, and one child.

Investigations were continuing, a police spokesman told AFP.

Malta, the smallest EU member state, is a target for Africans trying to get into Europe by boat from North Africa, with Libya being the most common point of departure.

Some 1,700 illegal immigrants landed on Malta in 2007, according to an AFP count.

On Sunday, more than 100 illegal immigrants were brought ashore in two separate operations off Malta.

The last case of serious loss of life off Malta came in May 2007 when 53 would-be immigrants perished at sea.

"Notwithstanding that they know about (previous) tragedies, these desperate people still try and make the journey to Europe," said Neil Falzon, a representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Malta.

If the gravity of Wednesday's tragedy is confirmed, "it would be another one in a series," he said, adding: "It also highlights the need for assistance to these people."