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| Spain welcomes disputed Aquarius migrants | Spain welcomes disputed Aquarius migrants |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Spanish port of Valencia has seen the arrival of the first ship carrying migrants rescued from the Mediterranean Sea and turned away by Italy and Malta. | |
| The first of three vessels entered harbour soon after dawn. Some of the 629 rescued near Libya last weekend by the Aquarius ship began disembarking. | |
| Health officials and interpreters are on hand to offer support. | Health officials and interpreters are on hand to offer support. |
| Spain's new socialist government has promised free healthcare and says it will investigate each asylum case. | Spain's new socialist government has promised free healthcare and says it will investigate each asylum case. |
| "It is our duty to help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and offer a safe port to these people, to comply with our human rights obligations," Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said earlier this week. | "It is our duty to help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and offer a safe port to these people, to comply with our human rights obligations," Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said earlier this week. |
| He has adopted a migrant-friendly stance since taking up his post two weeks ago. | He has adopted a migrant-friendly stance since taking up his post two weeks ago. |
| An Italian coast guard ship, the Dattilo, entered the port of Valencia at 06:20 (04:20 GMT). It was carrying 274 migrants, the Italian news agency Ansa reported. | An Italian coast guard ship, the Dattilo, entered the port of Valencia at 06:20 (04:20 GMT). It was carrying 274 migrants, the Italian news agency Ansa reported. |
| On Valencia's quayside, 1,000 Red Cross workers were on hand to greet the migrants as they stepped off the ship. There were also police officers drafted in specifically to handle their arrival. | |
| A second Italian ship, the Orione, and the Aquarius itself are expected to dock later on Sunday morning, carrying the rest of the group. | A second Italian ship, the Orione, and the Aquarius itself are expected to dock later on Sunday morning, carrying the rest of the group. |
| Officials say the rescued migrants include 123 unaccompanied minors, 11 younger children under the age of 13 and seven pregnant women. | Officials say the rescued migrants include 123 unaccompanied minors, 11 younger children under the age of 13 and seven pregnant women. |
| The Aquarius sparked a major diplomatic row when it was left stranded on Monday. | The Aquarius sparked a major diplomatic row when it was left stranded on Monday. |
| Italy's populist coalition - and in particular its interior minister, the right-wing League party leader Matteo Salvini - has taken a hard-line approach to immigration and refused to let it dock. | Italy's populist coalition - and in particular its interior minister, the right-wing League party leader Matteo Salvini - has taken a hard-line approach to immigration and refused to let it dock. |
| Mr Salvini says it is unfair that countries on the frontline of the EU have had to carry most of the burden of handling the migrant influx. | Mr Salvini says it is unfair that countries on the frontline of the EU have had to carry most of the burden of handling the migrant influx. |
| He said Malta should accept the Aquarius, but it refused, arguing that it fell under Italian jurisdiction. | He said Malta should accept the Aquarius, but it refused, arguing that it fell under Italian jurisdiction. |
| Valencia's Mayor Joan Ribo, who has offered the ship a safe berth, described Italy's decision to turn the vessel away as inhuman. | Valencia's Mayor Joan Ribo, who has offered the ship a safe berth, described Italy's decision to turn the vessel away as inhuman. |
| He told the BBC that he hoped the city's actions would act as an "electric shock" and lead to reform of Europe's migration policies. | He told the BBC that he hoped the city's actions would act as an "electric shock" and lead to reform of Europe's migration policies. |
| Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Italy of "irresponsibility" for turning the Aquarius away. His government will work with Spain to deal with the migrants. | Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Italy of "irresponsibility" for turning the Aquarius away. His government will work with Spain to deal with the migrants. |
| Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said that any migrants who wish to go to France would be allowed to do, providing they had a legitimate claim to asylum. | Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said that any migrants who wish to go to France would be allowed to do, providing they had a legitimate claim to asylum. |
| The migrants aboard the Aquarius spent 20 hours in overcrowded rubber dinghies before being rescued. They have since spent a week aboard the rescue ship in rough seas - with many suffering seasickness. | The migrants aboard the Aquarius spent 20 hours in overcrowded rubber dinghies before being rescued. They have since spent a week aboard the rescue ship in rough seas - with many suffering seasickness. |
| Migration reform is likely to be a key topic at a meeting of EU leaders later this month, as many countries continue to grapple with the political fallout caused by an influx of migrants in recent years. | Migration reform is likely to be a key topic at a meeting of EU leaders later this month, as many countries continue to grapple with the political fallout caused by an influx of migrants in recent years. |