LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Italy has assigned a port where 88 migrants stranded for days on a rescue ship can disembark, following a deal to share them out among several European countries.
The Italian interior ministry said Friday night the Alan Kurdi, operated by Germany’s Sea-Eye humanitarian group, will dock in Taranto, southern Italy.
Sea-Eye rescued the migrants a week earlier and pressed Italy for days to let it disembark the passengers.
The boat got docking permission after Germany and France together agreed to take 60 of the migrants. Portugal is taking 5 and Ireland 2, with Italy taking the rest.
Contending that aid ships facilitate human trafficking, Italy in recent years has closed its ports to the vessels, allowing docking only after other European countries pledge to take the migrants.
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