Boat with migrants rescued off Libya looks for port to dock

A private rescue boat with 47 migrants aboard says so far no country has granted it port permission.

Sea-Watch 3, run by a German NGO, said Sunday it has contacted Italy, Malta, Libya as well as the Netherlands, since the boat is Dutch-flagged.

The governments of Malta and Italy have been refusing to allow private rescue boats rescuing migrants to dock.

An Italian state TV reporter aboard Sea-Watch 3 said rescue took place Saturday about 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the coast west of Tripoli, in Libya’s search-and-rescue area.

Sea-Watch tweeted that Libyan officials had hung up when it asked for a port assignment.

Earlier this month, Malta transferred to land 49 migrants who had been aboard Sea-Watch 3 as long as 19 days but refused the boat port entry.