The Geo Barents ship left the port of Brindisi where this morning the crew of Doctors Without Borders disembarked 339 migrants rescued in recent days in the Mediterranean.
From on board they let it be known that the ship "is bound for Augusta where, after a change of crew and supplies, she will return to the central Mediterranean for a new
mission".
The vessel had rescued 440 migrants in the Mediterranean Sea a few days ago, 100 of whom had already been transferred to an Italian Coast Guard vessel off the coast of Sicily.
Another migrant had been evacuated by helicopter due to precarious health conditions.
The migrants come from Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Somalia and Sri Lanka.
"We are ready to ensure the best reception for migrants", said the prefect of Brindisi Michela La Iacona.
The 24 unaccompanied minors will remain in Brindisi, together with other adults.
The other migrants will be sorted into various centers already identified by the Ministry of the Interior in Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna.
A note from Palazzo Chigi reports that "the operations for the relocation of the survivors of the shipwreck that took place in Cutro, in the province of Crotone, in the night between 25 and 26 February, are proceeding in compliance with the commitments made by the Government".
The note explains that "there are 76 applicants for international protection" and "after the meeting at Palazzo Chigi of the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, with the survivors and relatives of the victims, the requests were examined, brought to the attention of the institutions and European partners, and the commitments made by the Government have been respected".