ROME, Oct 23 (AFP) - Italy on Saturday did a u-turn, agreeing to take in 13 would-be illegal immgrants who had tried to enter the country hidden in a German boat, a spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency, Laura Boldrini, said.
The immigrants were found on October 9 hidden in a container on the Lydia Oldendorff boat in the southern Italian port of Gioia Tauro, and deported.
The 11 men and two boys, who say they are Kurds from Turkey, have been stranded in the cramped boat in international waters some 15 miles (nine kilometres) from Malta.
Every year thousands of people risk their lives by illegally trying to get into southern Europe, often on ramshackle, overcrowded boats.
Many set off from Libya or Tunisia and head towards Italy, notably Sicily and its island of Lampedusa.
The Italian interior ministry explained the change of position as the Kurds had indicated their intention to demand political asylum.
10/23/2004 12:19 GMT - AFP