Mediterranean migrants crisis: Funerals held for victims

London, April 23: Funerals of 24 people who were killed in the Mediterranean Sea last week, held in Malts on Thursday, media reported.

Over 700 people killed in the sinking tragedy occurred on April 19. The boat was crashed mistakenly by the captain against a merchant rescue ship, BBC reported.

The incident was termed to be the deadliest Mediterranean migrant disaster yet.

The number of deaths in such incidents has now reached 1,750 so far this year. During a 45-minute service of remembrance, the Bishop of Gozo, Monsignor Mario Grech, and Imam Mohammed El Sadi read extracts from the Bible and the Koran.

An emergency meeting has been summoned by EU leaders on Thursday to find ways to stem the number of people risking their lives.

Draft proposals for the meeting of EU leaders include offering 5,000 places for resettlement for migrants "qualifying for protection" under a pilot project.

OneIndia News