Over 5,800 migrants who were trying to reach Europe on rubber dinghies and wooden boats have been saved and ten more were found dead off the coast of Libya on Saturday and Sunday in one of the largest rescue operations coordinated by the Italian coastguard.

For the first time the MV Phoenix, a rescue frigate operated by the NGO Migrant Offshore Aid Station and Médecins Sans Frontieres also took part, along with French frigate Commandant Birot. They were part of Triton EU sea borders patrol mission, which budget has recently been tripled.

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