Italy is seeking increased support from the European Union as it deals with a huge wave of migrant arrivals, including a reported proposal to limit the types of ships that can offload migrants in Italian ports.
Italy's ambassador to the EU, Maurizio Massari, met with EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos on Wednesday. Avramopoulos tweeted: "Discussed with Italian ambassador our support after increasing numbers of arrivals in Italy."
Italian news agency ANSA said Italy was proposing a ban on non-Italian flagged rescue ships disembarking migrants in Italian ports, though not those participating in the EU's Frontex rescue operation.
On Wednesday alone, ships from aid groups MOAS and Doctors Without Borders, as well as Frontex ships, arrived in Italian ports with some of the 10,000-plus migrants rescued in recent days.
