Italy refused to support Sofia unless other EU nations agreed to take in some of the migrants who are rescued during operations.

Currently all migrants rescued during Operation Sofia are brought to disembark in Italy.

Italian Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta said: “It’s no longer possible that Italy be the only port of disembarkation and that it take in all the migrants rescued at sea.

“Some (EU governments) said we should change the Sophia mission when its mandate ends.... We think it’s too long to wait and should be done immediately.”

No country offered ports at the Vienna defence ministers’ meeting as an alternative to Italy for Sophia.