The boat was en route from Greece to Italy when its engine broke down. After negotiations with the Croatian Coast Guard throughout the night, the immigrants from Somalia, Egypt, Syria and Afghanistan agreed to be towed to the port of Gruz, realising that they were facing a humanitarian disaster. They were given water, food, and medicines.

The Dubrovnik County Protection and Rescue Centre said on Monday it was ready to take in all the immigrants after a medical examination, adding that it had requested instructions from the ministries of health, foreign affairs and the interior as to what to do with the immigrants.

Police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the engine breakdown.