Germany should ensure that is Sea-Eye charity's' German-flagged Mediterranean migrant rescue ship Aylan Kurdi obeys the law by exerting sovereignty over the boat and those on aboard, Italy's foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
"Italy's foreign ministry urges the Federal Republic of Germany, whose flag the Aylan Kurdi flies, to ensure the vessel respects the relevelant regulations," said the statement.
"This means exercising its sovereignty over the ship and the people aboard it," the statement added.
The statement asked "the relevant German authorities" to provide information on the boat's conformity with national laws regarding its activities and "if it is technically suitable to conduct alleged rescue operations in a systematic and prearranged manner."
The boat was on Thursday heading towards Italy with 64 migrants including a newborn baby on board, but hardline interior minister Matteo Salvini and Maltese authorities have refused to allow it to dock.
Salvini on Wednesday that Italy would not accept the migrants and that the German ship should "go to Hamburg" - a month-long voyage which Sea-Eye said it did have the supplies to undertake and was "completely out of the question".
Sea-Eye says its 'Alan Kurdi' rescue boat is the only one operating in the Mediterranean as many governments have denied aid ships the permission to operate.
