An Italian navy chief has said he is sceptical about suggestions Europe should adopt Australia's policy of turning back migrant boats to end the current crisis in the Mediterranean.

A surge in both the numbers of migrants reaching Europe from north Africa and deaths at sea led to calls for the European Union to consider a similar approach, with the aim of deterring people from contemplating the journey in the first place.

Last month Prime Minister Tony Abbott called on European leaders to stop the "terrible problem".

"The only way you can stop the deaths is to stop the people-smuggling trade. The only way you can stop the deaths is in fact to stop the boats," he said.

"That's why it is so urgent that the countries of Europe adopt very strong policies that will end the people smuggling trade across the Mediterranean."

But Admiral Donato Marzano, who will host a seminar of navy supremos from 26 European countries on Friday, said it would not be morally or practically feasible to start escorting barely seaworthy migrant boats back to conflict-wracked Libya.

"There are several countries that apply a policy of expulsion, even by force of arms, others apply the international right to rescue," he said when asked if Italy could learn from Australia's experience.

"I am a sailor who has spent 20 years on boats. If I find a boat adrift, I'm sorry, but I don't turn away.

"I intervene to help people at sea. I don't know if this reflects my Italian culture but I do know it is international law.

"A vessel in difficulty, whether it is a boat full of migrants or a merchant ship, has to be assisted."

Australia has advised the EU to follow its lead and Mr Abbott said this week that his officials were in touch with their European counterparts on the issue.

EU officials in Brussels have denied any such contact, suggesting there is little appetite for a move that would inevitably cause an outcry from rights groups.

Some right-wing leaders, including France's Marine Le Pen, backed the Australian model as a solution to migratory pressures which have resulted in about 5,000 people drowning in waters between Libya and Italy since the start of 2014.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini will brief the UN Security Council on the issue next week as the 15-member body holds a special meeting to discuss ways to address the crisis.

'Australian experience one that can be discussed'

Mr Marzano said navy chiefs would do what their political masters asked them, but said he did not detect any enthusiasm for moving away from search-and-rescue operations aimed at minimising the loss of life while trying to find other ways of stemming the migrant flows.

"If there is a political decision to do other activities like expulsions, then we will have to find the appropriate solution for the situation but at this moment that doesn't seem to me to be the situation," he said.

Friday's talks on the security environment off Europe's southern coasts are expected to be dominated by the issue of illegal immigration, but will also touch on questions of the movement of terrorists and piracy.

"Australia is not involved in these discussions but obviously it is involved in other international forums and the Australian experience is one that can be discussed and compared," Mr Marzano said.

"But the problem of clandestine immigration is so incredibly complex, I don't think any magic formula exists — otherwise we would already have found it.

"We have a crisis situation that has many different aspects and which from a European perspective is without precedent.

"There are so many people fleeing war, so many people fleeing not only in search of work but also to save their lives.

"There are so many different aspects to the problem I don't think anyone has a magic solution, be they Australian, Italian, European or French.

"All we can do is share our experiences and try to resolve a problem which is getting ever more urgent."

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More migrants die on treacherous journey to Europe

More than 1,750 people are estimated to have died in the waters between Libya and Italy since the start of this year.

Around 40 people died when their boat sank off Italy's Sicilian coast, survivors told the Save the Children charity group.

"They said there were 137 people aboard an inflatable boat that deflated or exploded — it wasn't clear — and that some of them fell overboard," Save the Children's Giovanna di Benedetto said.

"Some said 'very many' died, others said 'around 40'."

The survivors — originally from Ghana, Mali, Gambia, Senegal and the Ivory Coast — said the drownings happened on Sunday when one of their rubber boats exploded or burst in the heat of the sun.

They were part of a group of around 200 migrants, travelling on two separate boats, who were rescued from Sicilian waters in recent days.

According to the survivors, the drowning incident occurred shortly before the weekend's rescue operations, in which the Italian navy and coastguard rescued nearly 6,000 people with the help of several merchant ships.

On Monday more than 3,000 migrants landed in southern Italian ports, including a baby girl born on board the Italian navy patrol ship Bettica.

Up to 30,000 people could die crossing the Mediterranean this year, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in April.

AFP/Reuters