1st group of migrants from MV Aquarius relocating to France

VALLETTA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The first group of migrants who disembarked in Malta from aboard the MV Aquarius on Aug. 15 have left Malta on Thursday to be relocated in France.

The Aquarius was at the center of an international spat between Malta and the European Union (EU) after the island had initially refused to allow the ship's 141 migrants to disembark.

The vessel had been stranded at sea for four days as Italy, Malta, Tunisia and Spain all refused it entry to their ports. A diplomatic solution was eventually found after other EU countries, amongst them France, agreed to share the migrants between them.

All 141 migrants will be relocated among France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.