Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has agreed to pay 150,000 euros (USD 177,000) towards the release of a migrant rescue ship that was impounded by Italian authorities as it operated in the Mediterranean, the founder of the humanitarian NGO linked with the vessel said on Tuesday.

Italy's Prosecutor had ordered the impounding of the Proactiva Open Arms in the port of Pozzallo in March, something it described as a preventive confiscation under the allegation that it had promoted what it described as clandestine immigration and criminal association, reports Efe. "Pep came to see us, he even talked about going to the ship to help," said Oscar Camps, founder of the Proactiva Open Arms, a Spanish NGO devoted to search and rescue at sea.