A Greek-owned tanker rescued 220 third country nationals — including 42 and 16 children — on Monday evening apparently trying to reach Italy.

The tanker, “Agisilaos”, picked up and hosted the group after migrant smugglers issued a distress call while sailing east of Malta. Crew-members handed out water, food, milk and blankets to the irregular migrants before the latter were transferred to an Italian patrol boat.

The vessel is managed by the Capital Ship Management Corp., which belongs to Greek shipping executive Evangelos Marinakis.