Paris, April 27 (RHC)-- Doctors without Borders says the European governments have failed to take proper actions to save the refugees struggling to reach Europe through dangerous sea journeys.

The charity group, known by its French acronym MSF, says that it resumed the Mediterranean Sea rescue operations after the EU states failed to take up the task that was halted in January.  The MSF said refugees are in danger of drowning as more people try to cross the "deadly stretch of water" between North Africa and Europe in spring and summer.

MSF International chief Joanne Liu said: "The absence of a global solution to the current refugee crisis, and the European states" policies of deterrence, as well their refusal to provide alternatives to the deadly sea crossing, continue to kill thousands."  She noted that the boat trip from Libya to Europe is longer than the route from Turkey to Europe and has resulted in much higher death rates.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that some 1,200 people have died since the beginning of 2016 while trying to reach Europe by sea.