LAMPEDUSA: Authorities on the tiny island of Lampedusa were Tuesday attempting to process more than 1,200 newly-arrived migrants in a reception center designed for a third of that number.

The mainly African migrants were among some 3,800 would-be immigrants to Europe rescued in the Mediterranean since Friday, according to figures compiled by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

At least 330 people are thought to have perished whilst trying to cross from Libya to Italy in the last week, 29 of whom died of exposure on Italian coast guard boats. The tragedies, and the dramatically increased numbers, have sparked renewed debate over whether European search-and-rescue operations are adequate in the face of a humanitarian crisis triggered by a combination of conflict and hunger across much of Africa and the Middle East.

IOM spokesman Joel Millman reiterated the organization’s concern that the chaos currently engulfing Libya would ensure the flow of migrants risking their lives to reach Europe with the help of ruthless people smugglers would continue and possibly increase after what was a record year for arrivals in Italy in 2014 (more than 170,000 people landed).

“It seems to be growing,” Millman told reporters at IOM headquarters in Geneva. “There are many, many speculations as to why. The profits .. are certainly one, but also things have gotten so out of control in Libya right now that even the smuggling gangs don’t feel they can hold their inventory, to use such a word, indefinitely, so they have started vacating the space.”