10 bodies recovered, over 5,800 rescued off Libyan coast

onnaedo

May 4, 2015 12:31 PM

An Italian ship landed nearly 900 people in Sicily early today (Monday) while the final number of people rescued over the weekend is expected to rise.

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10 bodies have been recovered from the Mediterranean sea, while about 5,800 have been rescued off the coast of Libya in the latest episode of migrant rescue.

BBC reports that the survivors were picked up from wooden and rubber boats, in 17 separate operations by Italian and French ships.

An Italian ship landed nearly 900 people in Sicily early today (Monday) while the final number of people rescued over the weekend is expected to rise.

Also, in a separate incident on Sunday, 3 people died when a boat carrying migrants to Europe sank off Egypt's coast.

This is according to Egyptian state media which also says 31 migrants were reportedly rescued.

Meanwhile, at an emergency meeting last month to discuss the crisis, European Union (EU) leaders said they would triple the funding for rescue operations run by EU border agency Frontex, and threatened to target smugglers' boats with military strikes.

Last year, Italy abandoned its Mare Nostrum search-and-rescue mission after some EU members, including the UK, said they could not afford to fund it.

However, the decision was widely criticised in April after more than 800 people died when a single boat sank, an event that has been described as the deadliest capsize recorded in the Mediterranean.

As the warmer months approach, many more migrants are expected to make the crossing in the coming weeks as smugglers take advantage of calmer weather.

No fewer than 1,750 people have died this year trying to cross the Mediterranean, a 20-fold increase on the same period in 2014 when 96 people died.

onnaedo