The first to disembark in the central Italian port of Ancona were women with children, followed by entire families of migrants and all the other people rescued by the humanitarian vessel Ocean Viking, run by the NGO SOS Mediterranée.

The procedure to disembark the 336 passengers of the Ocean Viking, which reached Ancona at 5:30 am on March 18, lasted several hours, under torrential rain. Two pregnant women were taken to hospital for medical checkups.

Passengers included adults and minors with their families, as well as 42 unaccompanied children and teens. Among them, there is a 9-year-old boy from Mali. A young girl and two boys who are under 16 were transferred to a center in Matera, according to Prefecture sources.

The remaining minors will remain in the Marche region in facilities for unaccompanied children in Ancona, Pesaro Urbino, Fermo, Macerata and Ascoli Piceno, the prefect of Ancona Saverio Ordine said while disembarkation procedures were ongoing.

Also read: Ocean Viking and Geo Barents: Dozens rescued, hundreds more in limbo after sea rescues

Majority of rescued passengers from Syria

The other migrants will be transferred to facilities in Lazio, Puglia and Tuscany.

The majority of rescued passengers were from Syria (124), followed by 56 Pakistanis, 27 Egyptians and 27 Mali nationals. The prefect told reporters that "all regions should play their part" in hosting migrants.

Security officials, medical personnel and members of humanitarian associations helped carry out checkups, and identification procedures in tents set up by the civil protection and organized buses taking migrants to the local Palaindoor center to transfer the new arrivals to their different destinations.

Also read: 'A predictable failure': New report examines shelter system in Italy

Deputy mayor of Ancona expresses 'appreciation for government's work'

Deputy Mayor Giovanni Zinni praised the prefecture's efficient coordination of reception efforts following the recent landing, stressing that protocols were respected, with doctors visiting passengers on board.

"We feel appreciative of the work being carried out by premier (Giorgia) Meloni and all of the government: if, on the one hand, it is asking the EU for more responsibility on landings, which don't appear to us as the best solution to solve the problems of the world's South, on the other hand the government does everything necessary in terms of solidarity and hosting," he continued.

Speaking about the fact that the Marche region around Ancona will only be hosting several dozen unaccompanied minors, Zinni said "the interior ministry decides this", recalling that this latest arrival saw a higher number of passengers compared to previous ones, many of whom had survived a shipwreck and needed psychological support, he noted.

Expressing discomfort over the ongoing landings, Zinni urged the EU to implement policies aiding North African countries to reduce migration pressures over time. Despite concerns, he affirmed Ancona's commitment to supporting the prefecture in its efforts to assist migrants as mandated by the government.

Also read: Survivors say at least 60 migrants died in Mediterranean shipwreck on way to Europe