Italy's firebrand interior minister is threatening to return to Libya 177 migrants who have been aboard an Italian coast guard ship for days following another standoff with Malta.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini demanded Sunday that other European countries take in the migrants after his Maltese counterpart, Michael Farrugia, insisted that the "only solution" is for the Diciotti ship to dock at the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.
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Italy's firebrand interior minister is threatening to return to Libya 177 migrants who have been aboard an Italian coast guard ship for days following another standoff with Malta.
In a tweet Sunday, Farrugia accused Italy of rescuing the migrants in Maltese waters "purely to prevent them from entering Italian waters."
Migrants sit on a bus after they were disembarked from the Aquarius rescue ship at the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants wave from the deck of the Aquarius rescue ship as they enter the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants and members of the crew of the Aquarius rescue ship wave as they enter the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants and members of the crew of the Aquarius rescue ship wave as they enter the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants disembark from the Aquarius rescue ship in the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
The aid ship Aquarius pulls into Malta's Grand Harbor Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The vessel, which is operated by the European aid group SOS Mediterranee in partnership with Doctors Without Borders, is carrying 141 migrants rescued in Mediterranean Sea off Libya last Friday but whose landfall was delayed as European states bartered over who would take them. (Raphael SatterAP photo)
The aid ship Aquarius pulls into Malta's Grand Harbor Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The vessel, which is operated by the European aid group SOS Mediterranee in partnership with Doctors Without Borders, is carrying 141 migrants rescued in Mediterranean Sea off Libya last Friday but whose landfall was delayed as European states bartered over who would take them. (Raphael SatterAP photo)
The Diciotti has been off Lampedusa after rescuing the migrants Aug. 16. Italy asked Malta to take them in, but Malta refused, saying the migrant boat wasn't in distress and that the migrants declined Maltese assistance, preferring to continue toward Italy.
The Aquarius rescue ship enters the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
In a tweet Sunday, Farrugia accused Italy of rescuing the migrants in Maltese waters "purely to prevent them from entering Italian waters."
Migrants sit on a bus after they were disembarked from the Aquarius rescue ship at the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants sit on a bus after they were disembarked from the Aquarius rescue ship at the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants wave from the deck of the Aquarius rescue ship as they enter the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants and members of the crew of the Aquarius rescue ship wave as they enter the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants and members of the crew of the Aquarius rescue ship wave as they enter the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
Migrants disembark from the Aquarius rescue ship in the harbor of Senglea, Malta, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Malta agreed to let the private rescue ship dock on the island, with the 141 migrants it is carrying to be distributed among five European Union nations in what was described as a "responsibility-sharing exercise." The migrants were plucked to safety by the aid boat Aquarius in two separate operations in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya on Friday, Aug. 10. (AP PhotoRene Rossignaud)
The aid ship Aquarius pulls into Malta's Grand Harbor Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The vessel, which is operated by the European aid group SOS Mediterranee in partnership with Doctors Without Borders, is carrying 141 migrants rescued in Mediterranean Sea off Libya last Friday but whose landfall was delayed as European states bartered over who would take them. (Raphael SatterAP photo)
The aid ship Aquarius pulls into Malta's Grand Harbor Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The vessel, which is operated by the European aid group SOS Mediterranee in partnership with Doctors Without Borders, is carrying 141 migrants rescued in Mediterranean Sea off Libya last Friday but whose landfall was delayed as European states bartered over who would take them. (Raphael SatterAP photo)