Migrants hijack ship that rescued them in Mediterranean, set course for Europe - EU authorities
"Poor castaways, who hijack a merchant ship that saved them because they want to decide the route of the cruise," Italy's interior minister, Matteo Salvini says.
Italy's interior minister, Matteo Salvini, identified the ship as the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1. He said the tanker had rescued about 120 people and described what was happening as "the first act of piracy on the high seas with migrants" as alleged hijackers.The governments of both countries vowed to keep it from their territorial waters in the Mediterranean.Other information about the reported hijacking was unavailable or difficult to confirm while the vessel remained at sea.
The Armed Forces of Malta said military personnel were standing by and the tanker still was in Libyan territorial waters as of early Wednesday night.The official was not authorised to speak to reporters and requested anonymity.Italy's Salvini said weather conditions were not good and it was unclear if the tanker would end up approaching Malta or Lampedusa island. But he had a message for the pirates, "Forget about Italy.
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