Thousands more men, women and children will die in the coming weeks unless more rescue assets are immediately deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, according to search and rescue charity Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), which is due to set sail again on Saturday 2 May.

MOAS saved some 3,000 lives in 60 days last year. In this year's operation it will be partnering with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which will take care of the post-rescue care of migrants taken on board.

"Every day, we are waking up to news of more deaths in the Mediterranean. Scaling down Europe's rescue operations has not discouraged these desperate migrants from risking their lives in these dangerous crossings. It has only led to more deaths," MOAS director Brig. Ret'd Martin Xuereb said recently.

"We must take politics out of search and rescue. We must put saving lives at the top of the agenda. Meanwhile, society must not be a bystander. We must lead by example and show support to the search and rescue efforts being undertaken. The people making these crossings are people like us, with hopes and aspirations. They do not deserve to be left at sea to die," he added.

MOAS, which is equipped with a 40-metre vessel, two Schiebel camcopters, two rescue RHIBs, and a 20-strong professional crew of seafarers, rescuers, doctors and paramedics, is currently looking for funding to allow it to operate a year-long rescue operation.

MOAS depends on donations from the public which can be made on www.moas.eu.