ROME (AP) — Italy’s anti-migrant interior minister says five nations agreed to take some of the rescued migrants waiting on an Italian coast guard ship.
The migrants were picked up on the Mediterranean Sea last week and put on the coast guard vessel, which has spent days stopped off Sicily.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Wednesday he would let the 116 migrants disembark now that Germany, Portugal, France, Luxembourg and Ireland agreed to take most of them.
He says some of the passengers also will be hosted in properties of Italian bishops.
Salvini said on Facebook: “Problem resolved.”
The European Union-brokered agreement resolves the latest standoff involving Italy refusing to allow in migrants rescued at sea. Another standoff looms.
Salvini tweeted he will forbid a German charity’s boat to dock in Italy carrying 40 migrants rescued off Libya.
