Barely 24 hours after 141 migrants disembarked from the MV Aquarius, the NGO vessel has left Grand Harbour.

The ship was allowed to dock only after the Maltese government brokered a deal which will see six European nations taking the migrants who landed in Senglea on Wednesday after a four-day standoff .

However, while the Aquarius was allowed to leave port on Thursday, three other ships belonging to rescue NGOs remain blocked in Grand Harbour.

The MV Lifeline, the Seefuchs and the SeaWatch, run by three different German NGOs are berthed in Grand Harbour and cannot leave.

The government had said that no NGO ships can leave or enter Malta after the MV Lifeline brought in 234 migrants in June. That was the first time that the government had reached an agreement with nine European states for the migrants to be shared.