A cargo ship said to be carrying 700 migrants which was taken under Italian control at sea has docked in the Italian port of Gallipoli.

The Blue Sky M had apparently been abandoned by its crew and at one point seemed to be heading directly towards the Italian coast on autopilot.

Reports suggest Syrians and Kurds are among those aboard the ship.

Ambulance crews are waiting to treat passengers amid unconfirmed reports that people on the ship were suffering frostbite.