EU interior ministers are to discuss how to deal with tens of thousands of migrants trying to enter Europe each year by crossing the Mediterranean.

Corpses of 17 migrants along with 454 survivors were brought ashore in Sicily by an Italian naval vessel.

A total of 741 migrants travelling in six boats have been rescued off Sicily, the Italian coastguard says.

The European Commission has unveiled a new blueprint for dealing with the EU's migration crisis, including a controversial plan for national quotas.

Dozens of migrants drown in the Mediterranean after a boat sinks south of Italy's island of Sicily, the Save the Children aid group says.

More than 5,800 migrants are rescued and 10 bodies recovered off the Libyan coast over the weekend, the Italian coastguard says.

Nearly 3,700 migrants rescued in several operations in the Mediterranean Sea, Italian coastguard says

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi calls for more European Union action on sea migration after the latest deadly capsize of a boat in the Mediterranean.

A Bangladeshi survives the Mediterranean boat capsize that is feared to have claimed lives of 700 migrants.

Hundreds of people are feared to have drowned after a boat carrying up to 700 migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea.