Italy's Meloni says EU must do more to halt illegal immigration

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on fellow European Union leaders to do more to halt illegal immigration and prevent further tragedies at sea after at least 67 people were killed in a shipwreck off Italy.

"It's fundamental and urgent to immediately adopt concrete, strong and innovative measures to counteract and dissuade illegal departures, with urgent special payments to the countries of origin and transit so they cooperate actively," she said in a letter released on Wednesday.

(Writing by Keith Weir, editing Federico Maccioni)