A rescue ship carrying 60 migrants has arrived in Barcelona after being refused entry by Italy and Malta.

The Open Arms ship docked on Wednesday and the group including five women, a young child and four teenagers then went through health checks and identification procedures.

It is the second time in a month that a humanitarian group has been forced to travel for days to unload people rescued in the central Mediterranean.

The Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms said the migrants come from 14 countries and are in good health.

The charity, Doctors Without Borders, said more than 500 people have died in the Mediterranean since the Aquarius, another rescue ship, was blocked from ports in Italy and Malta in June.

Malta said on Thursday that the island's ports will no longer allow entry to ships carrying migrants that are operated by NGOs.

On Wednesday, it also blocked a humanitarian aircraft from operating.