The rescue ship "Sea-Eye 4" of the German aid organizations Sea-Eye and Mission Lifeline is allowed to dock in Trapani, Sicily, with more than 800 people on board.
The Italian authorities decided on Saturday after the ship had been waiting for the allocation of a safe harbor since Thursday.
According to Sea-Eye, well over 200 minors and five pregnant women are among those rescued from the Mediterranean.
The arrival in Trapani on the western tip of Sicily is expected on Sunday.
"We are relieved and overjoyed that the difficult hours for our crew and the rescued people will end on Sunday and that the people will finally be safe in Italy," said Gorden Isler, the chairman of Sea-Eye, and said at the same time " appalled ”about“ Malta's failure to provide assistance ”. The island state did not respond to emergency calls during the week.
The "Sea-Eye 4" rescued more than 800 migrants in several actions from Tuesday to Wednesday night. Around half of it was taken from an overcrowded wooden boat into which water was already entering. After no reaction from Malta, the island of Lampedusa was headed for. The Regensburg Association's ship was not allowed to dock there. Because the chances in Sicily were estimated to be greater and the weather was bad, the ship continued on towards Sicily. There it crossed in front of the port city of Agrigento on Saturday until the authorities gave the okay for Trapani.
On Saturday, Mission Lifeline's “Rise Above” provided the “Sea-Eye 4” with food and blankets.
"We are currently receiving more support from the small Dresden sea rescue organization Mission Lifeline than from all EU countries combined," Isler complained while waiting for a permit from Italy.
In addition to the “Sea-Eye 4”, the “Ocean Viking” of the European aid organization SOS Mediterranee is currently in use in the central Mediterranean between southern Italy, Malta and North Africa.
The ship says it has 314 survivors on board.