Italy letting rescue ship with 306 migrants go to Sicily

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — A charity operating a rescue ship with 306 migrants aboard says after days of waiting at sea Italy has assigned it a port to disembark its passengers. SOS Mediterranee tweeted on Wednesday evening that those aboard Ocean Viking were feeling “indescribable relief” that Italian authorities granted permission for the migrants to be let off in Augusta, Sicily. The humanitarian group said the OK came just ahead of a strong storm bearing down on the area of the central Mediterranean where Ocean Viking had essentially been stranded for days awaiting port assignment. Crew members aboard say that recent downpours left migrants on the open deck drenched and shivering.