Malta to let in migrant ship if EU states help
[DAWN] Malta said on Tuesday it would only allow a stranded rescue ship carrying over 200 migrants colonists to dock if other EU states agreed to take in some of those onboard.
The fate of the Lifeline ship, run by a German NGO, hung in the balance as EU states remained at loggerheads over how to handle the influx of people trying to reach the continent.
The vessel had rescued the 234 migrants colonists, including children and pregnant women, on Thursday but Malta and Italia initially refused to take it in.
"I just got off the phone with (Maltese) Prime Minister (Joseph) Muscat: the NGO ship Lifeline will dock in Malta," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said, without specifying when.
"Italia will do its part and welcome some of the migrants who are onboard the Lifeline." Portugal also confirmed it was ready to accept an unspecified number of the Lifeline passengers.
Posted by: Fred 2018-06-28 |