France-Italy migration row escalates after rescue ship docks in Toulon

French government calls Italy inhumane' for refusing vessel but Italian PM hits back as rift deepens

France and Italy have intensified their bitter row over migration after a charity-operated ship carrying hundreds of asylum seekers rescued in the central Mediterranean docked in the French port of Toulon after almost three weeks during which Italy's far-right government failed to give it safe port.

The French government called Italy irresponsible" and inhumane" for not coming to the aid of the ship, which had been stuck in Italian waters for weeks carrying sick passengers who had been rescued at sea between Libya and Italy.