A migrant rescue boat with some 10-20 migrants on board is anchored outside Maltese territorial waters waiting for instructions from Italian authorities on where to disembark the migrants.

The Golfo Azzurro, which is partnered with the Boat Refugee Foundation, only stopped close to Malta because some of its crew members had bought tickets for flights departing from Malta.

An Armed Forces of Malta spokesperson said a Transport Malta launch was making its way towards the vessel to pick up the crew members who need to fly home from Malta.

There is as of yet no decision on where the migrants, who were reportedly picked up just off the Libyan coast, will be disembarked. Rescued migrants are usually taken to Sicily.