Forty migrants who were transferred from the Diciotti coast guard ship to a Church-run migrant centre at Rocca Di Papa south of Rome have left the centre and are missing, interior ministry sources said Wednesday.
Caritas Italiana chief Father Francsco Soddu told ANSA "it's a voluntary departure, not an escape.
"You flee a state of detention and that is not the case here, no one wants to stay in Italy, that is well-known".
Some 100 Eritrean migrants were moved to the centre last week after a standoff between Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and the EU.
They are currently being moved to dioceses across Italy who have voiced willingness to take them.
Salvini kept them aboard the Diciotti for 10 days saying they would not land until the EU agreed to take them in.
In the end Catholic bishops agreed to take 100 while Ireland and Albania said they would take 20 each.
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