The onset of warm weather has seen a surge in migrants boarding boats for the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, putting pressure on rescue services. Italy's coastguard said more than 8,000 migrants had been rescued off the coast of Libya in a 48-hour period to today. 

More than 73,300 migrants have landed on Italy's shores since January, a 14-percent rise on the same period last year. According to the UN's refugee agency, over 2,000 people have died or gone missing feared drowned while attempting the crossing since the beginning of 2017.