One of the eight migrants brought for processing in an Albanian center after being intercepted in international waters has returned to Italy after being deemed “vulnerable.”

SHENGJIN, Albania (AP) — An Italian navy ship docked Friday at the Albanian port of Shengjin with eight migrants who will be processed there after they were intercepted in international waters, a month after another group was turned away for failing the vetting process.

The agreement between Italy and Albania allows up to 3,000 migrants intercepted by the Italian coast guard in international waters each month to be sheltered in Albania, and vetted for possible asylum in Italy or be sent back to their countries.

The ship, expected to arrive at the port of Shengjin on Thursday morning, left Lampedusa with only eight asylum seekers after judges in Catania and Rome rejected the Meloni government's decree on 'safe countries' last Monday.

An Italian navy ship set sail for Albania on Wednesday carrying a second small group of migrants, with Rome looking to salvage a controversial plan to process asylum seekers abroad after a first attempt hit legal hurdles.

An Italian navy ship docked Friday at the Albanian port of Shengjin with eight migrants who will be processed there after they were intercepted in international waters, nearly a month after another group was turned away for failing the vetting process.

An Italian Navy ship brought a second group of migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh picked up in the Mediterranean to its offshore asylum processing centre in Albania on Friday, despite a court challenge hanging over the new Italian scheme.

Albania's deal with Italy on migrants has been welcomed by many. But others are confused and angry - Some in the Western Balkans country saw it as reciprocation when the leaders of Albania and Italy a