Pope Francis has expressed his deepest sorrow about what appears to be worst incident of its kind with as many as 700 Europe-bound people drowned off the coast of Libya.

Once again, Italy’s taken the lion’s share of rescue operations sending 17 boats to the site of the capsized boat where hundreds died.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi says his European colleagues must meet this week to discuss a united approach to dealing with what he’s calling a plague in our continent and modern slavery.

The 20m long boat was believed to be carrying up to 700 migrants, and only 28 survivors have been rescued.

Up to 1 500 migrants are now feared to have drowned this year alone in the Mediterranean

About 16 000 have reached the Italian Island of Lampedusa.

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The tragedy follows the drownings of 39 people off the Libyan coast earlier this month when their boat headed for .the Italian island of Lampedusa capsized.

The latest victims appear to have suffocated on a boat crammed with people desperate to leave Africa and make a better life in Europe.

At least 60 000 people have landed in southern Italy from Africa this year.

The annual total is expected to break the record of 63 000 set three years ago.

Italy’s appealed to its European partners for help saying it’s not only protecting the Mediterranean country but guarding the gates of the continent.

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