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Operation Sophia is seizing boats used by migrants (Photo: Frontex)

Frontex: Overpacked boats increase death toll at sea

The EU's border agency, Frontex, says more people are dying at sea because boats disembarking from Libya are dangerously overloaded.

Speaking to MEPs on Wednesday (12 July), Frontex executive director Fabrice Leggeri said that the crowded conditions are among the reasons behind the high number of drownings.

"There are now approximately 170 migrants per boat, per dinghy, while two years ago there used to be approximately 90 migrants on board," he said.

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

Operation Sophia is seizing boats used by migrants (Photo: Frontex)

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

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