Matteo Salvini, who refused to let ship carrying 629 refugees and migrants to dock, says: 'We have opened a front in Brussels'. He declared victory when Spain Accepted the Refugees.

Salvini blocked the ship from Italian ports and said it should go to Malta instead. Malta refused, saying it had nothing to do with a rescue mission overseen by the Italian coastguard in waters off Libya.

"We have opened a front in Brussels," said Salvini, who became interior minister last week. "We are contacting the European commission so that it can fulfil its duties towards Italy that have never been respected."

With the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, urging the urgent disembarkation of all 629 people on board, including 100 children, as provisions ran out, Pedro Sánchez, Spain's new prime minister, gave permission for the MS Aquarius to dock in Valencia. He said his country would welcome those on board.