Italy has agreed to take 220 migrants who were picked up by a cargo ship that was originally heading for Malta.

The migrants were expected to land this morning, but their transfer to Maltese patrol boats was delayed due to bad weather and the migrants' requests to be taken to Italy.

Italy agreed to host them after lengthy talks.

The migrants, said to be Syrian and including many women and children, were rescued from a fishing boat that got into difficulties on Thursday some 285 miles southeast of Malta.

The cargo ship Eleonora Maersk was directed to pick up the migrants in rough seas as winds reached force seven.

The ship is now heading north towards Italy.

 

 

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