Migrants leave Malta for Portugal as part of relocation agreement

VALLETTA - A group of 20 migrants that were rescued over the Christmas period and who eventually disembarked in Malta left the island for Portugal on Tuesday as part of a relocation agreement agreed to by several EU member states.

Among the migrants were people rescued by two NGO rescue ships and the Armed Forces of Malta in three separate operations between Dec 23 and the first week of January.

The Maltese government noted in a statement that the relocation was the result of an agreement between the European Commission, Malta, and other EU member states "following developing humanitarian crisis situations".

The government said that Maltese authorities had worked with their European counterparts, the International Organisation for Migration, and in this particular relocation, with the Portuguese authorities to "assure a swift procedure".

Malta, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Germany, France, Romania, Ireland and the Netherlands all agreed to take some of the rescued migrants.