Newsroom24x7 Desk

Rome :  With the migrant crisis burgeoning and bursting at the seams, Europe is taking every possible measure to contain the influx from every route possible – especially from the water path. In a recent strategic plan, the European Union has decided to tackle the migrant movement in waters by keeping a keen vigil on boats which ferry smuggled migrants into land zones via waterways and attempt to seize them, there, right away.

The EU is beginning a new operation to intercept boats smuggling migrants across the Mediterranean. Terming this as Operation Sophia – this rescue operation would give a free hand to naval vessels which would be able to board, search, seize and divert vessels suspected of being filled with human trafficking and migrants smuggled illegally. this comes in as an extension to the existing surveillance and rescue operations which are going on in full swing for tackling migrant swell.

So far this year, more than 130,000 migrants and refugees have crossed to Europe from across north African coast. Fatalities have rendered more than 2,700 who have been confirmed drowned in waters. The migrant crisis is expected to be one of the issues raised when German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande are expected to attend to, while they make a rare joint address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.