Three ailing migrants and a family member were evacuated Friday from a Spanish rescue ship anchored near a southern Italian island but 134 others remained stuck on the boat as Italy's political battle over migration raged on.
The humanitarian ship Open Arms had rescued 147 migrants in the Mediterranean Sea near Libya two weeks ago and won a legal battle to enter Italy's territorial waters despite a ban by right-wing Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.
"I'm not giving up, you can be sure of that," Salvini vowed Friday in a tweet.