Tri-Service

Could The Royal Navy Be Called Upon To Sink Trafficking Boats?

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that HMS Bulwark, the Royal Navy's flagship, has been deployed to join efforts to ease the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.

EU leaders are holding an emergency summit in Brussels, meanwhile, to discuss how to stop the large numbers of migrants being trafficked across the sea.

Scores of overloaded boats are setting off from the likes of Libya everyday as thousands of people try to reach Europe.

So far this spring around 1,750 people have drowned, 800 dying in one incident alone on Sunday.

The Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, whose country is currently bearing the brunt of the rescue missions, is calling for direct action against the people smugglers - with the use of Special Forces reportedly up for discussion.

A draft statement issued ahead of the summit says EU leaders are expected to commit to "undertake systematic efforts to indentify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers", adding that the EU's Foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini is to "begin preparations for a possible security and defence policy operation".

Cover photo courtesy of Flickr.com & Steve Wright