A group of 87 migrants were rescued off Lampedusa and taken to Malta, the armed forces of Malta said on Wednesday.
The Maltese army said it had been informed by the Rome rescue centre about the presence of the migrants off the Italian island on Monday.
According to Valletta, an Italian naval vessel, operating under the EU’s border control agency, was dispatched to render assistance but developed technical faults along the way.
The condition and nationality of those on board was not given although online footage showed the migrants walking off the vessel unaided.
Italy and Malta have been at loggerheads amid widespread disagreement at EU level over who should assume responsibility for migrants rescued at sea.
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