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1st LD Writethru: European leaders agree to reinforce migrant rescue mission in Mediterranean

Xinhua, April 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

European leaders agreed to reinforce the Joint Operations in the Mediterranean by increasing the financial resources at the extraordinary summit on migratory pressures on Thursday.

European Council President Donald Tusk told a press conference that "we have agreed to triple the resources available to Triton border mission to enhance its operation capability."

The Triton operation is a migrant search and rescue mission run by the European Union (EU)'s justice and home affairs agency Frontex.

European leaders also decided to step up cooperation against smuggling networks, through Frontex and by deploying immigration officers to the third countries.

In response to the deaths of thousands of people in the Mediterranean, the institutions of the EU and member states have been called on to take the necessary humanitarian actions and political decisions.

Only 28 migrants out of 700 seem to have survived by far after their boat capsized some 130 miles (about 209 km) south of Lampedusa, Italy, last Saturday night. Endit