The migrant route from Turkey to Europe is rising in popularity. Some 14,470 people trying to use it have been stopped by the Turkish Coast Guard so far in 2018, a 60 percent increase on the previous year.

A UN agency has said Libya is not a secure port and returning migrants to the country might have violated international law. According to Italy, the Libyan coast guard coordinated the rescue in its own waters.

Italy denied committing any violations of international law involving the case of a ship carrying around 100 rescued migrants that took them back to Libya. Some parties and the UN are looking into whether violations were committed.

Germany has restarted family reunifications for refugees with a limited protection status two years after the policy was suspended in a bid to curb new arrivals. The issue has caused tension inside Merkel's government.