500 migrants are rescued by Italian coastguards

A further 500 people have been rescued by Italian coastguards this morning, as Europe struggles to find a way to respond to the catastrophic loss of life in the Mediterranean this year.

On Thursday, an emergency EU summit on how to deal with the crisis will take place, amid calls for northern European countries to do more to provide rescue and shelter.

There have been 30 times as many deaths this year compared to the same period last year, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

The BBC's Yolande Knell was in the Sicilian port of Catania to see some of those rescued arrive.