At the beginning of the month, the Aquarius, a French ship with more than 630 migrants on board, was forced to dock in Spain after Italy and Malta refused to grant it entry. Another humanitarian ship, Lifeline, was detained last week after Malta for the first time in years opened its port to a large number of migrants, some 230, when Italy refused it safe haven.
The captain of MV Lifeline, a German migrant rescue ship that docked in Malta last week with 130 rescued migrants after Italy refused access, makes an initial court appearance in Valletta. He is charged with operating his ship illegally.