The Alex sailing ship run by Italian NGO Mediterranea has defied an order to stay out of Lampedusa, forcing its way into port to dock on the island after rescuing 41 migrants at sea.
The asylum seekers were allowed off the vessel so it could be impounded, while the captain and crew have been put under investigation for allegedly aiding illegal immigration, interior ministry sources said. Another search-and-rescue ship that was engaged in a showdown with the Italian authorities, the 'Alan Kurdi', has changed route and is heading to Malta with 65 migrants on board, sources said.
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