ROME (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th August, 2018) The migrants aboard the Italian Diciotti coast guard ship will be allowed to leave the vessel in the next few hours, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Saturday.
On August 15, the Diciotti crew rescued 177 migrants stranded in the Maltese territorial waters. After Valetta denied entry to the Maltese ports, the vessel spent spent several days waiting for Rome's decision and was finally granted permission to dock in Catania. However, the migrants have not yet been allowed to disembark.
"The immigrants will leave from Diciotti in the next few hours. I have deemed it necessary that they disembark. I will inform [you] where they will head off next," Salvini told the Lega party in the town of Pinzolo.
Salvini added that Albania had agreed to accept a certain number of the stranded migrants, but most of them would be taken to the Italian Catholic church's care.
Europe is experiencing a large influx of migrants, fleeing conflict or poverty in their home countries. Italy, due to its geographical location, often serves as the first point of entry for many refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
