Migrant crisis: Twenty Somalis convicted in Italy of smuggling people into northern Europe

Prosecutors in Sicily said the 20 men were part of a ring making 'large sums of money' smuggling Kenyans and Somalians into Italy

Italy has sought to crack down on human traffickers to help deal with the huge influx of migrants reaching its shores and the catastrophic numbers of deaths from their illegal shipping (AP)

Twenty Somalis have been convicted in Italy of smuggling migrants into northern Europe as the UN General Secretary called the recent maritime deaths on the Mediterranean “the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War“.

Prosecutors in Sicily said the 20 men were part of a ring making “large sums of money” smuggling Kenyans and Somalians into Italy. They then helped them continue their journey to destinations in northern Europe.

The convictions mean 42 people have been found guilty of involvement in the group, which is understood to have been part of an international migrant-smuggling ring.

Italy has sought to crack down on human traffickers to help deal with the huge influx of migrants reaching its shores and the catastrophic numbers of deaths from their illegal shipping.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week joined Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on a brief visit to an Italian navy ship involved in border control operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

“Unfortunately, recently, due to political instability, in some parts of Africa, particularly North Africa, this sea has sadly become a sea of tears, a sea of misery," he in a statement later. “Not a single country - like Italy - can bear all this responsibility. In that regard, I welcome and commend the leadership of the European Union. They were united and showed their solidarity to address this humanitarian crisis and to give a better future for many people”.

He added that UN agencies were ready to work with the EU to prevent human trafficking and to find a political solution to the instability in northern Africa.

Mr Renzi told Italian news agency ANSA that the visit underscores that "the entire international community is aware that this is a global problem and not a question that regards one country."