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Vile smugglers who make millions from desperation of the poorest and most desperate, are actually benefitting from the work of charities, it is claimed in a Frontex report.

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency found search-and-rescue (SAR) missions are aiding criminals' business model.

The Frontex Risk Analysis for 2017 report said: "Both border surveillance and SAR missions close to, or within, the 12-mile territorial waters of Libya have unintended consequences."

Drownings were the cause of death for more than 4,000 migrants in 2016, according to official reports.

But those desperate souls took to the boats because of the guarantee of rescuers being around, it was claimed.