While Europeans were celebrating Europe Day, on 9 May, refugee continue to risk their life crossing the Mediterranean on overloaded dinghies: up to 250 people were feared drowned in the last few days, after two refugee boats sunk off the Libyan coast, pushing the record death toll above 1,300 so far in 2017.

In less than a week, at least 7,500 migrants have been rescued. Meanwhile, NGOs have been accused by opposition parties in Italy of supporting smugglers by providing search and rescue operations at sea.

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