A spokesperson for the Italian Coast Guard told the Giornale di Sicilia on Wednesday that the immigrants come from Libya and were rescued by patrol boats in the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Sicilian town of Portopalo di Capo Passero.

On Wednesday, 180 people will be transferred in Augusta, 205 in Catania and 104 in Messina, ports located on the eastern coast of Sicily, the source indicated.

On Tuesday, the Italian Government authorized the Ocean Viking ship, of the humanitarian organization SOS Mediterranée, to land 113 migrants in the northeastern port city of Ravena, in the Emilia Romaña region, nearly 1,700 km from the place where they were rescued.

This ship was expected to arrive in that town at around 13:00 hours, local time, on December 31. Among the people on board were 23 women, some were pregnant, 30 unaccompanied minors and three newborn babies, including a three-week-old baby, a spokesperson for the vessel said.

Italy decided to authorize a port for the Ocean Viking to dock a month after banning the ship from landing 234 migrants, who were finally taken to the port of Tolon, in France, which caused tensions between both countries.

SOS Mediterranée said in a public letter that they were relieved for the survivors on board, but they were concerned about other posible vessels in danger in the central Mediterranean Sea, as they are the only search and rescue organization currently operating in the sea.

Over 1,300 people have perished so far this year in the central Mediterranean Sea alone, according to a recent report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

jg/aph/mem/ort