(Photo: AFP)

VALLETTA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- An agreement at European Union (EU) level will see the redistribution of 477 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean, the Maltese government said here on Wednesday.

It said that while Italy will be receiving more than 400 migrants rescued in recent days by the humanitarian vessel Ocean Viking, Malta will accept 77 migrants rescued by another vessel, the Alan Kurdi.

The migrants will be transferred onto an Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat and brought to Malta.

In a statement, the government said the agreement will see the disembarkation of two rescue boats that have been in Mediterranean waters intercepting immigrants over the last few days.

"Malta, Italy and the European Commission have worked on a solution based on the principle of European solidarity. A number of European countries have already committed their cooperation and support and discussions are ongoing with others," the statement said.

"As a result of this agreement, Malta will assume responsibility for 50 of the total rescued migrants, whereas the rest will be distributed amongst other European countries," it said.

"Malta is already doing more than its fair share of solidarity, it is currently experiencing disproportionate pressure and its reception facilities are under stress," the government said.

It said that countries on the frontier like Malta are facing increasingly difficult situations and that other EU countries must step up their efforts and participate in European solutions at a time when migration is once again proving to be one of the main challenges for the European Union and which is "ultimately a European problem."