Italian naval ship lands 49 people in Albania in a third transfer under controversial 2023 deal between Rome and Tirana.

An Italian navy ship has dropped off 49 migrants in Albania after intercepting them in international waters, in the third attempt to carry out a contentious plan to relocate migrants to be processed under a deal between the two countries.

Italy has restarted its contentious program of sending asylum seekers picked up in the Mediterranean to Albania, months after jud

Italy says it is transferring 49 migrants picked up in the Mediterranean to new processing centers in Albania, in the third such attempt facing hurdles by courts.

Remaining 44 migrants being held at Albania’s Gjader facility, where their asylum applications to be processed - Anadolu Ajansı

Italy's navy on Sunday was taking 49 migrants it picked up in international waters to detention facilities in Albania, the interior ministry said, resuming a plan to curb sea arrivals mired in legal controversy.

The Italian government's latest attempt to establish functional migrant camps in Albania saw asylum seekers loaded onto the navy vessel Cassiopea off Lampedusa on Sunday. The Cassiopea was expected to reach the port of Shengjin on Monday evening or Tuesday morning, despite ongoing legal challenges, reported the Associated Press.

Italy has resumed sending illegal migrants to its new Albania processing centre as Giorgia Meloni, the country’s prime minister, attempts to circumvent the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

The Italian navy vessel Cassiopea detected 49 migrants during its patrols in the Mediterranean and is transferring them to processing centres in Albania, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday. This is the third attempt to process adult male migrants in Albania after the first two transfers under a scheme launched in October were blocked due to legal hurdles.