Bodies Of Drowned Refuges Arrives Malta

Bags sealed with dead bodies, twenty-four corpses of drowned refugees after a smuggler's boat sank off Libya have arrived in Malta.
The Italian coast guard vessel Bruno Gregoracci docked at Boiler Wharf in Valletta's Grand Harbour on Monday, with the victims of the Mediterranean tragedy laid out on its deck.

The bodies were then carried into waiting hearses to be transferred to a morgue.

Some 28 survivors of the disaster were also on board the Italian vessel. They will be brought to Italy later on Monday.

Officials say at least 700 people are feared to have died after the boat capsized and sank, but Italian prosecutors - citing a survivor - say as many as 950 migrants may have been on board.

The Bangladeshi survivor told Italian authorities that hundreds of people had been locked in the hold of the vessel by smugglers.

Only 28 people have been pulled from the Mediterranean alive.

It is believed the vessel overturned when migrants moved from one side of the boat in a bid to get off and be rescued by an approaching merchant ship.

Italian and Maltese navy boats have continued to scour the waters off Libya for more survivors.Greek authorities said at least three people have died, including a child, after a wooden boat carrying dozens of migrants from Turkey ran aground off the coast of Rhodes on Monday.

It comes as EU foreign ministers are set to meet in Luxembourg to discuss the growing crisis of refugee deaths in the Mediterranean.

The number of people killed among those seeking refuge in Europe is believed to be 1,500 this year alone. Last year, 3,500 people died or went missing while trying to travel from Africa to Europe, according to the UN High Commissioner.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the crisis "requires a comprehensive European response including targeting the criminals who are managing this traffic."