End to migrant ship stand-off

THE rescue ship Aquarius has docked in Malta after a stand-off over who would take in the refugees it carries.

Both Malta and Italy had refused to accept the 141 migrants on board, with the Italians demanding that Britain take responsibility because the ship was under the flag of Gibraltar, a British territory.

Malta claimed Italy had now agreed to take some of the refugees. France, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal and Spain would also provide homes.

The group, mostly from Somalia and Eritrea, includes 67 unaccompanied minors and were rescued off the coast of Libya last week by aid groups.