Migrants on Danish oil tanker transferred to NGO rescue ship

The 27 migrants rescued by oil tanker Maersk Etienne have been transferred to an NGO rescue ship after remaining on board for 38 days.

The migrants were transferred to the ship Mare Jonio, operated by the NGO Mediterranea. A medical team on board is treating the migrants, who were found in "serious psycho-physical conditions that make it impossible for them to stay on the petrol tanker," the NGO tweeted.

Mediterranea will be conducting health assessments on the migrants, and the Maersk Etienne will be proceeding to a suitable port for debriefing and to ensure that the crew on board get whatever care is needed.

The group of migrants were rescued by the Danish-flagged oil tanker on the 5 August after the tanker received alerts from Sea-watch. Malta refused to allow the migrants to disembark in local ports, with Prime Minister Robert Abela arguing that the situation was not Malta's responsibility.

Malta and Denmark have insisted that the responsibility of disembarking the migrants was Tunisia's.

Just five days ago, three of the migrants on the tanker jumped overboard. The migrants were quickly recovered and given immediate car, with Maersk tankers calling for urgent humanitarian assistance.