EU ministers meet to discuss migrant crisis

Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said as many as 900 people may have died off the coast of Libya when a boat capsized early on Sunday morning.

Some 28 people were rescued from the water yesterday, and the first bodies of those who died were brought ashore.

Italy and Malta have been working to rescue another two migrants boats with 400 people on them off the coast of Libya, whilst Greek coast guards managed to rescue 90 people from yet another ship that ran aground off the island of Rhodes. So far the bodies of three people – a child, a woman and a man – have been recovered by Greek authorities.

Italy ended its rescue mission, Mare Nostrum, citing cost and domestic opposition last year and its replacement – and EU wide patrolling mission with limited budget and no specific humanitarian remit called Operation Triton – has been heavily criticised.

Read more: The Mediterranean's deadliest migration sea routes

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the reputation of the Europe was at stake and called for ministers to agree to run rescue missions.

“I have been saying for weeks and months that Europe has to do more, now unfortunately the reality has hit us in the face.”

Recent lawlessness in Libya has enabled criminal gangs who charge thousands to bring mainly sub-Saharan Africans into southern Europe.

Sunday’s tragedy is by far the highest death toll recorded among those attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, and comes just days after the death of an estimated 400 people who died attempting to reach Europe last week.