Coast guard officials with protective gear unload the body of a migrant who drowned when crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Italy upon arrival to Boiler Wharf in Senglea, Malta on April 20, 2015. [Photo: ifeng.com]

Prosecutors say they have arrested the Tunisian captain and a Syrian crew member of the migrant boat that capsized off the coast of Libya.

Assistant prosecutor Rocco Liguori explains the charges against the two arrested people.

"We carried out two arrest warrants of suspected traffickers: the captain of the ship that capsized and a member of the crew. We charged them both with facilitating illegal immigration and the captain was also charged with reckless homicide."

The captain and crew member were arrested aboard the rescue boat that brought 27 survivors from the shipwreck, which may have killed as many as 900 people.

Even as the search continues for victims of the weekend disaster, coast guard ships have rushed to respond to new distress calls on the high seas, two off Libya and a third boat that ran aground near Greece.

European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the problem is not just Italy's alone to deal with.

"Today we have a new European level of awareness that this is a European issue, not of single member states, and that we need to act, to act fast and to act united. This is not just a call from some, but a response from all."

Federica Mogherini made the comment after an emergency meeting among member countries in Luxembourg.

A series of new measures to deal with the massive influx of migrants from north Africa has been agreed upon during the meeting.

The 10-point package calls for a strengthening of patrols.

It also includes a military mandate to destroy people-smuggling boats once they are captured.

The package also includes more money to help deal with larger problems related to human trafficking.