Italy agreed to take on 78 migrants who refused to be brought to Malta after being rescued last night.

The protests of the migrants, who are in reportedly good health, triggered discussions between the two countries.

Another five migrants, however, came to the island after being rescued from a sinking boat off the east coast. The Armed Forces of Malta said the migrants were rescued from a boat by a Panama-registered merchant vessel.

“They are all in good health and currently on board the merchant vessel,” a spokesman for the Maltese army said.

Malta, which has been at the forefront of the migrant crisis for years, has received just 100 asylum seekers so far this year.

Thousands of migrants rescued off Libya have instead been transported to Italy.

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