Italy will allow 450 migrants who were picked up from an overcrowded boat on Saturday to disembark in Sicily.

The decision was taken after Italy said that France, Germany, Malta, Portugal and Spain had each agreed to take 50 migrants.

Malta and Italy had earlier each insisted that the other country should allow the boat to dock.

Italy's new government has toughened its policies in an effort to stem the flow of arrivals on its shores.

So far, only women and children, 57 people in all, have been allowed to land in the Sicilian port of Pozzallo.

Aida AYSA,
“Khalg gazeti”