text: Two moving candle-lit vigils have been held to remember the 900 migrants who died when their boat capsized en route to Europe from Libya this weekend. As people lay candles by the sea in Valetta, Malta, an equally emotional memorial service was taking place in front of Rome's Verano Cemetery. The deadliest migrant tragedy on the Mediterranean so far took this year's death toll on the waters to a staggering 1,800. It came as three other people - including a tiny child - died when a rickety wooden boat ran aground on the Greek island of Rhodes. And the relentless tide of migrants escaping the war-torn country of Libya has continued since the tragic wreck this weekend. The UN said that 23,500 migrants had sailed to Italy this year in addition to 12,000 who had sailed to Greece. But an emergency meeting of EU leaders in Brussels today will announce that only 5,000 refugees who survive the perilous journey will be granted safe haven in Europe and the rest will be sent back, the Guardian has reported. Vigil: Mourners in Malta (pictured) and Italy have held candle-lit vigils for the 900 people who died when a migrant ship capsized off Libya's coast this weekend . Mourning: Hundreds of emotional people lay candles by the sea in Valetta, Malta (pictured) to remember the victims of the tragedy . Heart-broken: Some could not hold back the tears as they remembered those who died in one of the Mediterranean's deadliest ever migrant tragedies . Sombre: People lay candles as they pause by the sea during a candle light vigil in Sliema, in the outskirts of Valletta, Malta (pictured) Refugees: The endless tide of migrants fleeing war and persecution in Africa has continued since the tragedy, with the Italian coast guard rescuing dozens more off the coast of Sicily yesterday (pictured) Escape: Infra-red images showed the few people who were rescued off Libya's coast on Sunday, while over 900 tragically died . Remembrance: The memorial service in Malta's capital Valetta (pictured) honoured the 24 bodies recovered from Sunday's disaster . Solidarity: An equally emotional memorial service was taking place in front of Rome's Verano Cemetery (pictured) Moving: Catholic association activists prayed with candles in Rome (pictured) to remember the victims of this weekend's disaster . Italy's coast guard rescued another 220 migrants from two large rubber boats around 40 miles from the Libyan coast yesterday. Another 545 - many of whom were not even wearing shoes - were taken to the port of Salerno just south of Naples. A further 446 migrants of Egyptian, Syrian, Sudanese, Somalian and Eritrean origin arrived in Sicily after being rescued from a rickety fishing vessel. The memorial service in Malta's capital Valetta honoured the 24 bodies recovered from Sunday's disaster when the smugglers' boat capsized near Libya with hundreds trapped inside. Only 28 people were rescued and the bodies of most of the desperate migrants were never recovered. Two survivors were arrested as they stepped onto Sicilian soil - 24 hours after their boat capsized -killing around 900 people in one of the worst maritime tragedies in recent history. One was the boat's Tunisian captain was charged with multiple manslaughter and the other his Syrian crew member. Both were questioned on the long journey from Libya to Sicily last night before being taken into custody and charged with 'favouring illegal immigration'. EU leaders will decide how to deal with the migrant crisis during an emergency summit in Brussels today. But a 'confidential draft summit statement' seen by the Guardian reveals that only 5,000 resettlement places across Europe will be offered to refugees fleeing war and persecution in Africa. The rest will be sent back as 'irregular migrants' under a new rapid return programme coordinated by the EU's border agency Frontex. It also revealed that there would be no expansion to search and rescue operations around the Libyan coast despite widespread and aggressive pressure for better provisions. Exodus: Another boatload of migrants - crowded on an inflatable dinghy off the Libyan coast (pictured) - were rescued today . Tide: The refugees were among 220 migrants from two large rubber boats picked up around 40 miles from the Libyan coast today . Crammed: Over 500 people - some of whom were not wearing shoes - were taken to the port of Salerno (pictured) Found: The migrants fleeing war and persecution from their respective African nations crammed onto the Italian Navy vessel Chimera . Tragic: Flowers blanketed a room in Valetta's Mater Dei Hospital morgue in Malta, as other mourners gathered on the beach (pictured) Tribute: As some emotional mourners in Malta broke into tears (pictured), a touching note attached to one bouquet read: 'R.I.P. brothers and sisters. You matter' 'You matter': People placed candles on the shoreline rocks in Malta (pictured) as they take part in a vigil to commemorate migrants who died at sea . Innocence: Children too young to understand the true sadness in the situation participated in the ceremony in Malta . Sorrow: Meanwhile a visibly emotional Navy Lieutenant admitted 'we didn't arrive quite in time to save the migrants' Memorial: Catholic association activists pray with candle lights in front of Verano Cemetery i n downtown Rome (pictured) Policy: As mourners in Rome pray (pictured), their Prime Minister has called on EU countries to contribute funds to resettle migrants who make it to Europe . Meanwhile, flowers blanket a room in Valetta's Mater Dei Hospital morgue and a touching note attached to one bouquet read: 'R.I.P. brothers and sisters. You matter.' A visibly emotional Navy Lieutenant said: 'We proceeded out at sea with the hope of course to save as many people as we could but unfortunately we didn't arrive quite in time to save the migrants. Mark Merceica added: 'We were really disappointed and you could feel this through the entire crew, we were really hoping to arrive in time.' An Italian search and rescue mission that saved the lives of over 100,000 migrants in the Mediterranean last year was shut down because EU nations refused to pay for it. It was replaced with a smaller EU scheme which focused on patrolling the coast line after some countries argued that saving migrants would encourage more to make the perilous journey. Many European politicians have acknowledged this week that last year's decision not to replace the Italian search and rescue operation was a mistake. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy, which has borne the brunt of caring for the migrants, wants other EU countries to do more to fund efforts to rescue and settle those who make it across. Many EU countries still believe search and rescue operations alone will not solve the problem and more must be done to fight traffickers. Wreck: Local men on the Greek island of Rhodes waded into the surf to save migrants on a rickety wooden boat filled with migrants that had run aground . Death: Three people died in the tragedy, among them a tiny boy (pictured) whose body was seen being carried to land on a white paddle boat . Coward: Later survivors (pictured) told Sky News their captain had simply 'run away' when he lost control of the boat . The smugglers have taken advantage of lawlessness in Libya to set up operations that exported 170,000 migrants across the sea last year. One of the proposals leaders will discuss in Brussels is a military mission to capture and destroy traffickers' boats. Italy's Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti has said: 'We know where the boats are, where the smugglers gather together the people who are fleeing.' And EU officials have drawn comparisons with operations to crack down on Somali pirates, with one senior member saying: 'We are determined to destroy their business model. The leaders will also discuss a pilot project to resettle 5,000 to 10,000 refugees from Mediterranean countries to other EU states. The United Nations estimates 36,000 have made the voyage so far this year. An unprecedented 10,000 refugees fleeing war and persecution in Africa have been rescued by Italian ships in the past week. The UN said that 23,500 migrants had sailed to Italy this year in addition to 12,000 who had sailed to Greece.
target: Candle-lit memorials held on beach in Malta and Rome's Verano Cemetery .
  In memory of Libyan refugees who died on a smugglers' vessel on Sunday .
  Italian coast guard has rescued hundreds more fleeing war in Africa since .
  Only 5,000 can stay in Europe, EU leaders are expected to announce today .