The man in charge of the boat which capsized in the Mediterranean killing at least 800 has appeared in court.

Tunisian Mohammed Ali Malek (27) is accused of multiple first degree homicides, causing a shipwreck and people trafficking.

Authorities fear that up to 920 migrants died when the ship carrying them sunk in waters between Libya and the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Malek was one of only 27 survivors who were brought ashore at the Sicilian port of Catania.

Italian investigators say the tragedy was caused by Malek ramming his boat by accident into a cargo ship, which had gone to its rescue.

This then caused those on board the overcrowded vessel to move around causing it to capsize, said prosecutors.

Italian prosecutors have claimed that as many as one million people are waiting in Libya for the chance to get into the traffickers' boats and reach Europe.

It comes as the Taoiseach Enda Kenny will hold a meeting with the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls today.

It follows a deal reached in Brussels overnight with EU leaders - to triple the funding for search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean and help tackle the migrant boat crisis.

The crisis is expected to be raised as part of Mr Kenny's discussions with his French counterpart.