Six EU countries say they are ready to take in some of the 147 migrants stranded on a rescue ship near the Italian island of Lampedusa, Rome announced Thursday.
"France, Germany, Romania, Portugal, Spain and Luxembourg have told me that they are ready to welcome the migrants," Italian premier Giuseppe Conte said in an open letter addressed to far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini who has sought to ban the Open Arms rescue vessel from Italian waters.
"Once again, my European counterparts are offering us a helping hand," Conte wrote, slamming Salvini who has been calling since last Thursday for the PM to step down.
The humanitarian rescue ship Open Arms was anchored Thursday off the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The migrants had been plucked from boats in the Mediterranean this month with weather conditions encouraging more departures from Libya.
Both Italy and Malta have refused Open Arms permission to dock and unload its passengers.
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