The Spanish government said today it was sending a navy ship to the Italian island of Lampedusa to escort the Open Arms rescue ship to Palma, in a bid to bring an end to an ordeal that has seen migrants stranded in the Mediterranean for 19 days.

“The Audaz will depart this afternoon at 5 p.m. and will sail for three days to Lampedusa, where it will take charge of the people hosted by the Open Arms and escort the boat ... to the port of Palma in Mallorca,” the Socialist government said in a statement.

The Open Arms ship, run by a Spanish charity of the same name, was still unaware of the plan. Earlier today the charity described the situation onboard as “out of control,” and said that at least ten people had jumped overboard in a “desperate” attempt to swim to Lampedusa.