More than 350 migrants have been allowed to leave a rescue ship in the Mediterranean sea.
The group was transferred to a quarantine vessel off Sicily’s coast, said rescue organisation Sea-Watch.
The migrants include 150 people rescued by the Louise Michel, a 31m boat funded by British artist Banksy.
The UN’s refugee agency issued an urgent appeal for those onboard the rescue vessels to be allowed to disembark safely.
The Sea-Watch 4 ship reached Palermo on Wednesday, 11 days after it took on the first migrants.
Dozens of people later joined from the Louise Michel, after an Italian coastguard evacuated 49 of the most vulnerable from Banksy’s ship.
Around 100 unaccompanied minors were on board the Sea-Watch 4, according to the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. MSF’s humanitarian affairs advisor accused Italy and Malta of ignoring distress calls at sea and described the situation in the Mediterranean Sea as “dire”.
Over 43,000 migrants have arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean since January, according to the UN.
