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Migrant crisis: Captain appears in Italian court

The alleged captain of a sunken migrant ship, which killed more than 800, has appeared in an Italian court. It comes as the EU has agreed to treble its funding to tackle the on-going crisis.

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Migrant boat captain and first mate up in court

Mahmud Bikhit and Mohammed Ali Malek were part of a group of only 28 survivors of the ship. Credit: Reuters

The Tunisian captain of a fishing boat which sank off the coast of Libya will appear in court today charged with causing the deaths of around 800 people.

Mohammed Ali Malek, 27, and his Syrian first mate Mahmud Bikhit, 25, were arrested after being rescued along with 26 others on April 19.

The pair are expected to be brought before a court in Catania, Italy for a hearing which could last a few hours.

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