Updated | ‘No state can face this problem alone’ - Muscat on Lampedusa tragedy

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat convened an impromptu press conference at the Auberge de Castille to convey his government's solidarity to the relatives of the dead asylum seekers that had been travelling on a boat before it was shipwrecked.

"We hope this serves as a wake-up call for the EU. We are conveying our solidarity to the Italian government as well - we cannot let just one country deal with migration, even though Malta is not involved in this case," Muscat said.

"All we have seen so far from the EU are only words," Muscat remarked. "The EU must not limit itself to statements but extend its intentions in a perceptible manner with long-term solutions."

Muscat referred to the forthcoming EU conference on relocation and said that Malta will not be satisfied with just statements.  The Prime Minister said there were high level contacts going on with the Italian and Greek Prime Ministers and announced that the "migrant exodus issue" and the Mediterranean will be on the EU agenda for the next twelve months. Greece and Italy are due for the 2014 EU presidencies.

"Today's incident should not remain just a headline but it should lead to EU solidarity," Muscat said, welcoming the Italian government's intention to push for changes in the EU's asylum legislation. "The Maltese government is in favour of amendments to regulations governing the way asylum applications are processed. Malta is honouring its international obligations and upholding the provisions of international treaties. During the past hours, the Armed Forces of Malta, in conjunction with Italian naval authorities, were involved in yet another two rescue operations on the high seas."

Europe must move beyond words on migration. -JM — Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) October 3, 2013

A boat carrying migrants was shipwrecked off Lampedusa, about half a mile from Isola dei Conigli. Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini confirmed that rescuers had recovered the bodies of 82 migrants after a boat wreck near the Sicilian island. Nicolini was in tears as she gave the news.

Muscat said he would not be drawn into commenting on claims by Italian senator Roberto Formigoni (see below). "Comments made by sole politicians will definitely not impinge on the excellent relations between Malta and Italy," he said.

VIDEO: Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini comments on the tragedy

According to Italian media, a pregnant woman and around 30 children were among the bodies recovered. However, many more are feared dead as the boat was carrying around 500 people and so far only around 150 have been saved.

The crews of two fishing boats transiting the area alerted the Coast Guard after seeing the shipwreck about half a mile from Isola dei Conigli.

Rescue workers say that about 150 migrants have been rescued and taken to the Lampedusa port thus far. Two patrol boats are at the scene of the shipwreck, one from the Coast Guard and one from the Guardia di Finanza.

It is being reported that the boat caught fire and capsized.

Meanwhile, after the news surfaced Italian Senator Roberto Formigoni blamed Malta and Spain, even though both countries were not involved in this operation.

In comments given to RAI 24, he alleged that the two countries were pushing back immigrants to their point of departure, resulting in their deaths.