A group of some 130 newly-arrived migrants caused a disturbance at Safi Detention Camp - protesting that they wanted to be sent to Italy.

Informed sources said the disturbance started when members of the group objected to being held at Safi Detention Centre.

They insisted that they wanted to be sent to Italy.

Items were thrown at Detention officers and reinforcements of the Police Rapid Intervention Unit and the AFM were called in.

The disturbance started at about 8.15 p.m. but the situation appeared to have calmed down an hour later.

The migrants were rescued from a dinghy 70 miles off Malta. They were picked up by a US Navy warship and transferred to a Maltese patrol boat off Malta this morning. They were brought to Malta because it was the nearest harbour.

 

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