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More migrants than ever are attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Europe, resulting in a historic number of deaths. Migrants often pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to be packed onto overloaded, unsafe boats run by smugglers, who often abandon or rob them as they try to reach safe haven in the European Union. Most recently, 18 asylum seekers were found dead in a dinghy 150 miles from the Italian island of Lampedusa on Friday,according to Malta Today.

European leaders have done little to stop the crisis, said Amnesty Internationals T. Kumar, the non-governmental organization's international advocacy director in Washington, D.C. In November, European Union Civil Liberties CommitteeChairman Claude MoreasandPope Francisboth called for more to be done to save migrants.

But theres an unresolved debate within the EU about how to handle such cases, including how and where to settle migrants and the role of each Southern European country in responding to the crisis. A resolution will be put to a vote at a European Parliament plenary session Dec. 15.

Many migrants are fleeing violence and a lack of economic opportunity in North Africa and Syria. The number of migrants has skyrocketed in 2014, with 53,000 crossing the central Mediterranean in recent months.

The EU last month launched joint operation Triton, which allocates 2.9 million euros ($3.5 million) a month for the deployment of seven vessels and three aircraft to patrol the central Mediterranean and Southern European coast to combat illegal crossings. Much of that effort has gone into rescuing stranded migrants and safely getting them to land to be further processed.

International Business Times spoke with Kumar of Amnesty International about what more could be done to help migrants crossing into Europe.

IBTimes: Could you give us a picture of the current situation around the Mediterranean?

T. Kumar: As of mid-September, around 2,500 people have died crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe, but it is hard to come to an accurate count because the activity is clandestine in nature.

IBTimes: There is a debate in Europe over how to handle the massive increase in migration. What do you think needs to happen immediately to potentially save the lives of thousands of migrants who make dangerous journeys to Europe?

Kumar: The EU is doing whatever they can, but we first want the EU to rescue and protect the refugees, then they can decide what to do with them, whether thats deporting them or determining that they have legitimate claim to political asylum or any other action. But first thing is saving the people who are crossing.

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EU Migration: European Union Not Doing Enough To Save Drowning Migrants, Claims Amnesty International Official ...