Group wants Malta to take in 32 migrants rescued at sea

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — A German humanitarian group is appealing for Malta to take in 32 migrants who were rescued off Libya this week by the Ukrainian captain of a container ship. The request came as Pope Francis on Wednesday encouraged the tiny European Union nation in the central Mediterranean Sea to welcome refugees in general. Francis is scheduled to visit Malta this weekend. The migrants were rescued Monday by the crew of a German merchant vessel and transferred to the Sea-Eye 4, which is operated by the German non-governmental organization Sea-Eye. The group hopes Maltese authorities will let the ship dock and disembark the passengers.