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Italy 'agrees to take migrants rejected by Malta' Tanker migrants rejected by Malta arrive in Italy
(about 9 hours later)
A tanker carrying 102 rescued migrants is heading for Italy after Rome reportedly agreed to take them, ending a stand-off between Malta and the ship. An oil tanker carrying 102 African migrants has brought them to Italy after Malta refused to allow them to land in a dramatic stand-off.
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat thanked his Italian counterpart Enrico Letta, saying the decision would "reinforce" ties between the countries. Boats began taking the migrants to shore from the M/V Salamis, moored off the Sicilian port of Syracuse.
Malta had resisted EU pressure to take in the migrants, insisting the tanker should take them to Libya. They are being taken to a holding centre after medical and police checks.
It argued that to accept them would set a "dangerous precedent". Malta accuses the captain of the tanker of ignoring calls to turn back to Libya, after it rescued the migrants from a craft off that country's coast.
The tiny island state receives thousands of illegal migrants heading to Europe each year. The crisis was resolved overnight when Italy gave permission for the Salamis to travel on to Syracuse.
The oil tanker M/V Salamis, which picked up the migrants en route from Libya to Malta, was heading for the Sicilian port of Syracuse as of Wednesday morning, according to the Marine Traffic website. EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem welcomed news of the migrants' arrival in Italy, tweeting: "Thank You Italy."
The migrants reportedly include an injured woman, four pregnant women and a five-month-old baby.
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who had resisted EU pressure to allow the migrants to land, thanked his Italian counterpart Enrico Letta earlier, saying the decision would "reinforce" ties between the countries.
The government of the tiny island state, which receives thousands of illegal migrants heading to Europe each year, had argued that the migrants were no longer in danger and to accept them would set a "dangerous precedent".
According to the Times of Malta, a new group of 86 migrants was brought to Malta on board a patrol boat on Wednesday morning, after being rescued off the coast.According to the Times of Malta, a new group of 86 migrants was brought to Malta on board a patrol boat on Wednesday morning, after being rescued off the coast.
On Sunday, 111 mainly African migrants arrived in a rubber dinghy at Delimara, on Malta's south-east coast.On Sunday, 111 mainly African migrants arrived in a rubber dinghy at Delimara, on Malta's south-east coast.
The European Commission told Malta on Tuesday it had a duty to admit the migrants - who reportedly include an injured woman, four pregnant women and a five-month-old baby - on humanitarian grounds.
Malta had told the captain of the tanker - the M/V Salamis - it did not have permission to enter its territorial waters and insisted its decision to deny entry was in keeping with international law.
Mr Muscat told EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy last month that the burden of immigration to the EU should not fall on its smallest member.Mr Muscat told EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy last month that the burden of immigration to the EU should not fall on its smallest member.
"Call us harsh, call us heartless, but we are not pushovers," the Maltese prime minister said."Call us harsh, call us heartless, but we are not pushovers," the Maltese prime minister said.