The convoy of three ships
including the migrant-rescue ship Aquarius operated by SOS
Mediteranée and collectively carrying 629 migrants denied entry
to Italy last Sunday sailed past the Italian island region of
Sardinia on Friday and headed for open sea on its way to the
Spanish port of Valencia, where it is expected to dock on Sunday
morning.
Sailing conditions improved during the night and the ship
made a scheduled stop near Olbia to pick up additional food
supplies and toys for the children on board.
"The wind is blowing 15 knots and there are a
metere-and-a-half waves," said Alessandro Porro from the ship.
"The night was quiet, even if the migrants are now in their
sixth day of travel and are exhausted," he added.
Meanwhile preparations are underway in Valencia to receive
the migrants near the cruise liner terminal.
The convoy of three boats will be met on the seaward edge of
Spanish territorial waters by Spanish motorboats and accompanied
into port one at a time: first the Italian military vessels and
then the Aquarius, at intervals of 3-4 hours.
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