"One of the pilots requested political asylum" after the two descended from their single-seater Mirage F1 jets, a government spokesman said.

Two helicopters also landed at the same time carrying seven passengers who said they were French nationals working on oil rigs near Benghazi, the base of the popular uprising.

Malta is the European Union member state closest to Libyan shores, located just 340 kilometres north of the Libyan coastline.

After the landings in Malta, Italy said it had put its air bases on high alert and was moving air force and navy helicopters to southern Italy.

Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa said Italy was also deploying the Elettra, a military vessel used for intelligence and reconnaissance.

Italian experts have warned of a massive influx of refugees from Libya if there is a power vacuum in the country.