A 'massacre at Europe’s borders'

 Taking advantage of good mid-autumn weather, people smugglers have sent hundreds of migrants to sea in the last week, according to charities. The majority of the journeys have ended in tragedy.

“This is a massacre at Europe’s borders,” said a spokesperson for Alarm Phone, a hotline for migrant boats in distress. “What else can we say?"

“Is the European Union watching?” MSF wrote on Twitter. “Step the search and rescue capacity up, or let us save lives.”

Four shipwrecks in the space of three days have claimed the lives of more than 110 people in the Mediterranean.  A six-month-old boy was among the victims.