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Italy threatens to send migrants back to Libya if Europe refuses to help

Italy is threatening to return 177 migrants who have been on board an Italian coast guard ship for days.

Interior minister Matteo Salvini said on Sunday that other European countries need to take in the migrants or he will return them to Libya.

"Europe needs to seriously decide to help Italy in concrete terms, starting with 177 immigrants on board the Diciotti," he said.

"Or we will be forced to do what will definitely break up the smugglers' business - that is to take the rescued people back to Libya."

His threat came during another stand-off with Malta after Italy asked the small island nation to rescue the migrants from their boats in Maltese waters on 16 August.

However, Malta refused, saying the migrant boat was not in distress and the migrants declined their assistance, instead preferring to continue towards Italy.

Italian coast guard ship the Diciotti then rescued the migrants but the government has refused to allow it to dock in Italy.

Malta's interior minister Michael Farrugia said the "only solution" is for the Diciotti to dock on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, whose harbour the boat is anchored in.

In a tweet on Sunday, he accused Italy of rescuing the migrants in Maltese waters "purely to prevent them from entering Italian waters".

Mr Salvini has continually refused to allow ships with rescued migrants into Italy since a populist coalition started leading the country in June.

If he did return the migrants to Libya, he would be breaking international law which prevents asylum seekers from being returned to a country where they would be in danger of persecution.

Italy's infrastructure minister, Danilo Toninelli, called for the EU to apply sanctions on Malta for not rescuing the migrants.

He said Italy's actions showed the country "never retreats when it comes to saving lives".

Mr Toninelli wrote on Facebook: "Malta's behaviour is once again unqualified and deserving of sanctions.

"The EU should step forward and open its ports in solidarity, otherwise it has no reason to exist."

Earlier this week, five EU countries agreed to take in 141 migrants on board the private rescue ship, the MV Aquarius, which was left stranded halfway between Malta and Italy as both countries blocked its arrival.

France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain agreed to take in the migrants - 67 of them were under 18 years old.

The Maltese government said it made a "concession" to allow the vessel to enter its port "despite having no legal obligation to do so", but refused to take any of the migrants.

Aquarius was involved in another standoff in mid-June when more than 630 migrants were stuck on the ship for a week after Italy and Malta refused to receive them.

The Italian authorities had directed the ship to rescue hundreds of migrants from several packed boats but then refused to allow Aquarius to dock.

Spain stepped in to offer safe harbour in Valencia, while France agreed to welcome migrants who "meet the criteria for asylum".