Italy agrees to take 102 migrants after Malta refuses

A tanker that rescued 102 migrants off the coast of Libya will be allowed to dock at the Sicilian port of Siracusa, Italian authorities said Wednesday. Italy agreed to take in the migrants following intense overnight diplomatic negotiations with Malta, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat refused to allow the Libyan-flagged tanker Salamis to land on the Mediterranean island, saying his country's migrant reception facilities were overloaded. The refusal drew harsh criticism from the European Commission, which said Malta would be in breach of international law for refusing to let the tanker dock, the EUobserver reported. The drama began early Monday when the tanker rescued the migrants after being asked to do so by Italian authorities. The tanker was instructed to take the migrants to the nearest port of call which was Libya but the ship's captain decided to continue to Malta where the migrants were denied entry. Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU home affairs commissioner, said the migrants included an injured woman, four pregnant women and a 5-month-old baby.