An Italian navy ship docked at the Albanian port of Shengjin to bring the first group of 16 migrants intercepted in international waters.

The first 16 migrants rescued at sea while trying to reach Europe by way of Italy arrived at the Albanian port of Shengjin on Wednesday aboard an Italian navy vessel, marking an extraordinary change in the handling of Mediterranean migration.

An Italian ship carrying a first group of migrants to be processed in Albania arrived in the port of Shengjin on Wednesday morning, setting in motion a controversial plan to process thousands of asylum seekers abroad.