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Italy takes over 'migrant ship' after distress scare Cargo ship carrying '700 migrants' docks in Italy
(about 4 hours later)
Rescuers from the Italian navy and coast guard have taken control of a cargo ship thought to be carrying hundreds of migrants, officials say. A cargo ship said to be carrying 700 clandestine migrants which was taken under Italian control at sea has docked in the Italian port of Gallipoli.
They acted after the Blue Sky M was apparently abandoned by its crew and appeared to be heading directly towards the south Italian coast on autopilot. The Blue Sky M had apparently been abandoned by its crew and at one point seemed to be heading directly towards the Italian coast on autopilot.
The vessel is now being steered to the Italian port of Gallipoli, Italian media report. Reports suggest Syrians and Kurds are among those aboard the ship.
Greek officials were first alerted to the ship when it was near Corfu. Photos posted by the local Italian Red Cross show the ship in port with people crowding a deck.
A man aboard the ship is reported to have asked for food, water and blankets. Ambulance crews stood waiting as the ship docked in the early hours of New Year's Eve amid unconfirmed reports that people on the ship were suffering frostbite.
The distress call to Greek emergency services prompted the navy to send a helicopter and a warship. Italy has had to deal with a massive surge in migrants - many of them from the Middle East and the Horn of Africa - setting off on boats with hopes of reaching Europe.
The most common sea route for the clandestine voyages has been from Libya but this ship is said to have started in Turkey. It is also unusual to find a vessel of this size carrying migrants.
People traffickers who organise the crossings often abandon the vessels at sea to avoid arrest.
'Disaster averted''Disaster averted'
The exact situation aboard the ship is unclear after early reports that up to 700 mainly Syrian migrants could be aboard. Nor is it known where the ship departed from. The exact situation aboard the ship has been unclear after early reports that up to 700 mainly Syrian migrants could be aboard.
The Blue Sky is listed as a general cargo ship, flying under a Moldovan flag.The Blue Sky is listed as a general cargo ship, flying under a Moldovan flag.
Italian coast guard spokesman Filippo Marini was quoted by AP news agency as saying the Italians had averted a disaster by interrupting the programmed route that would have had the ship crash into the shore.Italian coast guard spokesman Filippo Marini was quoted by AP news agency as saying the Italians had averted a disaster by interrupting the programmed route that would have had the ship crash into the shore.
The Greek authorities had said earlier that no-one aboard the vessel was in danger. Greek officials were first alerted to the ship when it was near Corfu.
A man aboard is reported to have asked for food, water and blankets. The distress call to Greek emergency services prompted the navy to send a helicopter and a warship.
The Greek authorities said no-one aboard the vessel was in danger.
The Blue Sky M was reportedly heading for the port of Rijeka in Croatia from Turkey.The Blue Sky M was reportedly heading for the port of Rijeka in Croatia from Turkey.
According to tracking website MarineTraffic, the ship abruptly changed direction south of Othonoi on Tuesday morning, heading west towards Italy.According to tracking website MarineTraffic, the ship abruptly changed direction south of Othonoi on Tuesday morning, heading west towards Italy.
Weather conditions in the Ionian sea have been poor for several days, hampering the rescue of those on board the Norman Atlantic ferry which caught fire in the area, killing at least 10 people.Weather conditions in the Ionian sea have been poor for several days, hampering the rescue of those on board the Norman Atlantic ferry which caught fire in the area, killing at least 10 people.
Italy has had to deal with a massive surge in migrants - many of them from the Middle East and the Horn of Africa - setting off on boats with hopes of reaching Europe.
The most common sea route for the clandestine voyages has been from Libya.
People traffickers who organise the crossings often abandon the vessels at sea to avoid arrest.