(ANSA) - Rome, June 11 - The Aquarius, a migrant-rescue ship carrying 629 migrants which has been barred from Italian ports in a 30-hour stand-off with Malta, will be allowed to dock in the Spanish port of Valencia, Spanish Premier Pedro Sanchez said Monday.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday that his approach to the Aquarius case had been vindicated.
"Evidently raising your voice, something Italy did not do for years, pays," Salvini said.
On Sunday Salvini said the Aquarius, which is run by the SOS Mediterranee NGO and has 123 unaccompanied minors and seven pregnant women aboard, should head to Malta instead of Italy.
The Maltese authorities said the case was not its responsibility.
"I'd asked for a gesture of solidarity by the EU about this emergency," said Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte.
"I cannot fail to thank the Spanish authorities for taking up the invitation.
"This decision goes in the direction of solidarity".
Earlier Salvini said that Italy was set to deny permission to another migrant-rescue ship to dock at an Italian port after refusing to okay the arrival of the Aquarius. "Today the Sea Watch 3 ship of a German NGO flying a Dutch flag is off the Libyan coast waiting to take on the umpteenth load of immigrants to bring to Italy again," Salvini, who is also deputy premier and leader of the League party, said via Twitter. "Italy has stopped bowing its head and obeying, this time THERE IS SOMEONE WHO SAYS NO. #chiudiamoiporti (#weareclosingtheports)".
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