Forecasts for the migrant death toll during 2016 could surpass over 10,000, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). On Tuesday (20 September) the US is hosting two summits on the refugee crisis.

President Barack Obama will be present, as will UK Prime Minister Theresa May. Former British foreign secretary and president of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband has demanded that richer countries resettle refugees fleeing from war-torn countries.

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"I think there's quite a lot of scope for Theresa May to come to the UN and to the Obama summit on Tuesday and say look, the UK has a really good record on international overseas aid," he said on Sky News.

"We're a leader, the UK is a leader, through the Department for International Development on global humanitarian help, but we can also make a greater contribution beyond the six refugees per parliamentary constituency.

"Frankly, the UK should be saying we'll take 20,000 or 25,000 a year, so four times the current level, 25 refugees per parliamentary constituency rather than just six, because countries like Canada are already doing that.

"So I think the UK could do more on the refugee resettlement side to match the frankly exemplary performance that the UK has on international humanitarian aid."

The UK government has pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2018.

The world is facing the highest-ever mortality migration rate, said Julia Black from the Missing Migrants Project charity.

"Last year we had more than 5,000 deaths across the world. This year we're already at more than 4,000, but outside of the Mediterranean and Europe the information is so poor we really think it's a gross underestimate," she said in an Observer report.

"This year we'll reach that 5,000 total again realistically, but I would expect the real figure would be twice as much. The order of magnitude is greater than anything we've seen."

The treacherous journey across the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy accounts for the bulk of migrant drownings. Around 3,212 people have perished making the crossing during 2016.