A battered ship crammed with hundreds of Asian and African migrants headed into a Mauritanian port yesterday after days of diplomatic wrangling with Spain over which country should take it in.

"The order has been given for the boat to sail towards Nouadhibou. It is currently on its way," said Ahmedou Ould Haye of the Mauritanian Red Crescent by telephone from a meeting with Spanish officials.

Mauritanian officials said earlier they had not agreed to accept the migrants, although Spain insisted they had. Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega told reporters last Friday Mauritania had agreed to the Marine 1 cargo freighter being towed into the northern fishing port where Red Cross and Red Crescent workers were waiting.

Spain's interior minister said yesterday there was a deal, which involved the ship docking in Nouadhibou and Spain taking responsibility for repatriating the migrants, Spanish state radio reported.