Copenhagen said Thursday that Tunisia must take in 27 migrants rescued at sea five weeks ago by a Danish-flagged freighter, which has been denied entry to Mediterranean ports ever since. "The Danish government's assessment is that Tunisia should honour its responsibility for receiving the 27 people" aboard the Maersk Etienne, the immigration ministry told AFP in a statement. Copenhagen's assessment "among other things is based on the fact that the ship's planned destination was Tunisia and that the migrants were rescued close to Tunisia," it added. The Maersk Etienne responded to requests from Maltese authorities to pick up the group which includes a pregnant woman and a child, but has since been shut out of harbours. "Stuck at sea for 35 day(s) and counting. The crew and the people they rescued now need rescuing from this stalemate," ship owner Maersk Tankers tweeted Wednesday. "When will relevant authorities take responsibility?" On Sunday, three of the rescued people jumped overboard before being recovered by the crew. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) on Monday all urged governments to find a solution for the freighter and its passengers. Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said Sunday that the people on board were not his country's responsibility as the vessel sails under the Danish flag. cbw/map/tgb/pvh