A Syrian refugee has described how a worsening situation in Libya forced him and his family to embark on a boat trip to Europe which ended in tragedy last Friday.

The family was among the survivors who were picked up by a Maltese patrol boat south of Lampedusa and brought to Malta.

Italian and Maltese vessels rescued more than 200 survivors and have recovered 34 bodies from the water. Some 50 are believed to have died.

The Syrian man said living as a refugee in Libya forced him and his family to leave.

"Because the society is different from the Syrian's and the treatment for the Syrians began to be changed to the worse."

The recent tragedies have sparked a new debate in Europe on how to come up with a comprehensive response to the crisis.

See video above.

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