First migrants arrive at Italian asylum centre in Albania

An Italian navy ship docked in Albania on Wednesday morning, media reports said, carrying the first group of migrants whose asylum requests are to be processed at new reception centres outside the European Union.

The 16 men from Egypt and Bangladesh were Europe-bound when they were intercepted by Italian authorities on the open sea as they crossed the central Mediterranean.

As part of a controversial new scheme, they are now being transported to Italian-run asylum centres in Albania until their applications have been processed.

Italian news agency ANSA and Albanian broadcaster Klan published images showing the Italian navy vessel arriving in the port of Shëngjin, where the migrants are set to undergo an initial check before being transferred to the main camp in nearby Gjadër.

There was initially no official confirmation of the group's arrival.