Brussels for migrants on Aquarius

brussels - In Brussels, a solution is being worked behind the scenes for the refugees aboard the rescue ship Aquarius. According to a spokeswoman for the European Commission, the EU administration is 'in contact with a number of member states' that the committee 'approached' about the matter. She did not want to say which countries are involved.

The Aquarius is waiting for permission to enter an EU port. The ship is located west of Malta, which, like Italy, refuses to accept it. There are 141 people on board, including 67 unaccompanied children. They were picked up Friday by the aid organizations Doctors Without Borders and SOS Méditerranée off the coast of Libya.

According to Rome, the Aquarius acts as a 'taxi service' for migrants and helps people smugglers with the rescue operations. Italy also considers it a matter for London as the ship sails under the flag of Gibraltar, a British overseas territory.

In June, the Aquarius was also not welcome in Italy and Malta. The more than six hundred refugees were allowed to disembark in the Spanish port of Valencia.