Italy backs down on 3 migrant ships, 4th heads to Corsica

By NICOLE WINFIELD and BARBARA SURK
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — A European humanitarian group says its migrant rescue ship is heading toward the French island of Corsica in hopes that France will offer its 234 passengers a safe port. France has not publicly offered to take the Ocean Viking, but spokesman Francesco Creazzo of the SOS Mediterranee group said the Norwegian-flagged ship was hoping France would eventually do so. The developments indicate Italy’s latest migration standoff is heading toward resolution after Italy backed down and allowed migrants from three other rescue ships to disembark on Italian soil.