Sources in Libya have told Times of Malta smugglers were likely towing empty dinghies to sea and then transferring large groups of migrants into these flimsy vessels from larger boats.

“The dinghies they are using are absolutely worthless, they’re unable to keep afloat even after a few dozen miles, which means that if they had to start the journey from the Libyan coast, they would sink within the country’s territorial waters,” they said.

Despite starting their journey much closer to Europe, the dinghies usually encounter problems after just a few nautical miles. At this point the weary passengers turn to a satellite phone provided by the smugglers to make a distress call to Maltese or Italian authorities.

Smugglers operating from a zone west of Tripoli have exploited a window of very good weather in the past few days, sending dozens of boats, mostly from the coastal towns of Sabratha and Zuwara (see map).

Before making the journey the migrants are being kept in sites controlled by smugglers, who sources claim have more control over the operation than ever before.