The European Union has responded to the growing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean sea by calling a summit of its 28 leaders.
At least 700 people drowned in a single incident over the weekend prompting widespread criticism from humanitarian groups of the lack of a unified, European search and rescue mission.
EU Foreign and interior ministers met in Luxembourg Monday to discuss a plan of action.
Jack Parrock reports.
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Desperate migrants from across Subsaharan Africa and the middle east are boarding flimsy boats operated by illegal smugglers.
Departing North Africa heading for what they hope will be a better life in Europe.
175000 made the journey last year - this year already at least 1600 have drowned.
The EU's foreign affairs chief Federice Mogherini says the northern states in the bloc are starting to realize they must help their partners with Mediterranean borders to tackle to ever growing wave of migrants.
BITE: Federica Mogherini - EU foreign affairs chief
"Today we have a new European level of awareness that this is a European issue, not of single member states and that we need to act, to act fast, and to act united. This is not just a call from some but a response form all."
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But the European Union is frequently criticized for being slow to react.
An Italian search and rescue mission collapsed in November 2014 for lack of finances and has not yet been replaced by an EU-wide operation - as many humanitarian organizations have been calling for.
BITE: Iverna McGowan - Acting Director of Amnesty International Europe
"If you imagine that there are men, women, children, families, who are boarding these boats knowing full well the death tolls in the sea, then you get some idea of the push factors. What is getting them to get on those boats in the first place. We are talking about people who are fleeing poverty, persecution, violence."
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The EU will also try to engage with Libya - a country where many of the migrant vessels are setting off from - the the unstable nature of the Libyan government is making the troublesome.
For the European Union, putting together a join response force in the Mediterranean sea will ease political pressure, but it will need to move fast to start saving lives. And with summer approaching, the flow of migrants is expected to increase dramatically.
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