Malta takes in Sea-Eye migrants before transfer to other EU countries

A new stand-off over rescued migrants in theMediterranean was resolved on Sunday as Malta accepted to take in 65people picked up by a German charity, stressing they would"immediately" be flown to other European Union countries.  "Following discussions with the European Commission and the Germangovernment, the Maltese government will transfer 65 rescuedimmigrants on board the ship Alan Kurdi operated by the NGO [Sea-Eye]to an Armed Forces of Malta asset," a statement said. The migrants, including three people in need of an urgent medicalevacuation, will be taken to a Maltese port and "will be immediatelyrelocated to other European Union member states. None of the saidimmigrants will remain in Malta," the statement added.The Alan Kurdi - named after a 3-year-old Syrian refugee who drownedoff the Turkish coast in September 2015 - arrived in internationalwaters off Malta on Sunday, after being denied entry in Italy'sLampedusa island.Late Saturday, Sea-Eye tweeted:"In the evening, the Alan Kurdi changed its course towards Malta. Wecannot wait until the state of emergency prevails. Now it has to beproven whether the European governments stand by Italy's attitude.Human lives are not a bargaining chip."Malta initially barred the Alan Kurdi from entering its waters. Iteventually demurred, striking a deal that also foresaw the transferto other EU countries of "at least half of the 58 migrants" that theMaltese navy separately took ashore on Sunday.EU countries have long been at loggerheads on sharing responsibilityfor migrants coming in from North Africa. Front-line nations likeMalta, Italy and Greece often complained about being left alone todeal with the issue.  The stand-off over the Alan Kurdi was resolved a day after anothernon-governmental organization (NGO), Italy's Mediterranea, defiedSalvini's orders and took in 41 shipwrecked migrants into Lampedusa'sport.Alessandra Sciurba, a spokeswoman for Mediterranea, confirmed in apress conference in Lampedusa that Mediterranea's Alex boat had beenimpounded by police and the charity was fined for trespassing intoItalian territorial waters.She did not say the amount, but a recent Italian law, spearheaded byhardline Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, says migrant boats thatmake unauthorized forays into Italian waters should be sanctionedwith a fine of 10,000 to 50,000 euros (11,200 to 56,000 dollars).Noting that it was the second time in a couple of months that Italianauthorities have impounded a Mediterranea vessel, Sciurba said: "It'sclear that we are facing difficulties [...] but we have no intentionto stop."The migrants on the Alex, some of whom had scabies, were visitedafter disembarkation and taken to Lampedusa's migrant receptioncentre, a doctor who was on board, Giulia Berberi, said in the pressconference.The Italian government had asked for the Alex to take the migrants toMalta, but Mediterranea refused, saying the 11-hour journey wouldhave been too long and dangerous.The sail boat had around 60 people on board, despite a legal capacityof 18. Mediterranea said Salvini's ministry nixed proposals to havethe migrants taken to Malta by other vessels.According to the head of mission on the Alex, Erasmo Palazzotto,"there were no other possible choices" but to make an unauthorizedentry into Lampedusa.Palazzotto is also a left-wing opposition member of parliament.