More than 70 migrants jumped overboard on a rescue ship while awaiting for permission to dock in southern Italy, according to a charity, reported on Sky News.
Open Arms, a Spanish charity, said the migrants jumped into the sea out of frustration after learning that permission to enter Malta had been refused.
They were rescued on Wednesday by Italian authorities off the coast of Palermo, southern Sicily.
The search-and-rescue ship picked up three separate groups during attempts to cross the Mediterranean in small boats last week, and had around 280 migrants and refugees on board.
Following the incident, the ship then headed towards Palermo, awaiting instructions on where to disembark the passengers.
Sky News /
