Spanish port welcomes migrants

Valencia – The 630 migrants whose rescue sparked a major migration row in Europe, began disembarking in Spain yesterday after a turbulent week that saw Italy turn them away.

The first of three ships transporting the group, an Italian coast guard vessel called the Datillo, pulled into Valencia harbour just before 6.30am with 274 migrants on board, according to the Red Cross. The Aquarius, the rescue ship chartered by a French NGO which has been at the centre of the crisis, pulled into the same port in southeastern Spain about four hours later.

As this vessel neared port, those on board had danced and sang, their excitement captured in footage released on Twitter by SOS Mediterranee, which operates the vessel together with Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The third boat, the Italian navy ship the Orione, was due to arrive late yesterday, regional authorities said.

After the first boat docked, medical staff wearing white overalls, gloves and masks went on board to carry out initial medical checks before the migrants disembarked in groups of 20.

The migrants, most of them from Africa, were welcomed by a team of more than 2 000 people, including 470 translators and 1 000 Red Cross volunteers, who distributed basic items such as blankets, clothes and hygiene kits.

At the port, a huge banner said “Welcome home” in various languages, including Arabic.