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The UN Security Council on Tuesday deplored the latest Mediterranean boat tragedy that left 800 dead, and called for strengthening the global response to migration and human trafficking. AFP reports.
About 800 migrants including children from the Middle East and Africa died when their boat capsized off the coast of Libya on Sunday, the worst in a series of migrant shipwrecks in recent years.
The 15-member council voiced support for southern European countries struggling with the refugee influx and called for strengthening "a global response to this common challenge, in order to protect migrants from being victimized by human traffickers."
The Tunisian captain of the boat and a Syrian crew member accused of human trafficking have been arrested in Italy and are expected to face charges.
In the unanimous statement, the council condemned "transnational organized crime and illicit activities such as the smuggling of migrants" and noted that these have an impact on regional stability.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called on European countries to support Italy, Malta and Greece in their struggling efforts to deal with the mass influx of refugees.
"The Mediterranean is fast becoming a sea of misery for thousands of migrants," he said.
