Additional information is being released in the sinking of the migrant ship off of the coast of Libya over the weekend.

It has been determined that approximately 850 migrants were aboard the vessel when it capsized and sank . Only 28 of those aboard are known to have survived the watery ordeal. Many of those aboard were locked in the holds of the ship below decks, with no means of escape,  survivors are claiming. It is believed that 250 women along with 50 children, were locked inside the lowest level of the ship, while a large number of men were locked in the next level up.

Prosecutors in Sicily are also claiming that the captain of the vessel rammed the Portuguese ship, King Jacob, after it was directed to the scene by the Italian government. Italian prosecutors are continuing their investigation into whether the sudden movement of passengers above deck contributed to the capsizing.

Although it is currently unknown if the ramming contributed to the sinking of the ill-fated ship, the captain of the vessel, Mohammed Ali Malek age 27, from Tunisia, is being held on suspicion of mass homicide and engaging in illegal migration.

Malek, and crewmember, Mahmud Bikhit, from Syria, who is also charged with engaging in illegal migration, were detained after boarding the rescue boat that transported the 28 survivors to Catania on Monday night. The two men were identified using the testimony of survivors as the Coast Guard vessel Gregoretti, made its way to Catania, Sicily to drop off the surviving victims.

This latest, deadliest incident in the Mediterranean Sea involving migrants has spurred the European Union into action and they are calling for a unification of migration policies, a doubling in size of current search and rescue programs as well as increased funding for the European Union’s border agency Frontex.

April has been the deadliest month in history for migrant deaths at sea in the Mediterranean. That number is sure to rise as the year progresses. Reports say that 300-400,000 migrants wait in Libya to make the crossing to the European continent.

  arrest, capsize, captain, crewmember, death toll, gregoretti, Italy, king jacob, nigrant ship, ramming, sinking