EU leaders pledge ships to tackle migrant crisis

European Union (EU) leaders Thursday pledged ships and resources to stop migrants risking their lives by embarking on perilous journeys to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea.

On her arrival to Brussels for the emergency EU meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "We have to save lives and take the right measures to do so." British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged Britain would send three ships and three helicopters to the Mediterranean to help rescue efforts.

Germany and France each pledged two ships while Belgium and Ireland said they would also commit one, the Associated Press reported. German army sources told the DPA news agency Berlin would pledge three vessels.

The heads of state observed a minute of silence for around 800 migrants who drowned in Malta when their boat capsized after crashing against a merchant rescue ship.

The International Organization for Migration said the 1,727 deaths this year is more than 30 times higher than the number within the same time frame last year.

Most of those who make the perilous voyage to Europe are fleeing war, persecution and poverty in North Africa and the Middle East.

The leaders also discussed probability of taking military action against human traffickers in Libya.

According to one agency report, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini was "invited to immediately begin preparations for a possible security and defence policy operation to this effect, in accordance with international law".

The expanded operation is a reversal from late last year, when the EU took over handling migrant rescues from Italy but scaled it back for budgetary reasons.