(VOVworld) - Europe's military operation to seize and destroy boats used by migrant smugglers in the Mediterranean will not work unless it has access to Libyan territory, Rear Admiral Herve Blejean, deputy commander of Operation Sophia for the past three weeks said.

Migrants arrested earlier in the week receive food distribution in Tajura, a coastal suburb of the Libyan capital Tripoli on October 10, 2015 ahead of being transferred to a detention facility (Photo: AP)

Operation Sophia has been operating in international waters, charged with arresting smugglers and seizing their vessels. But it has so far neither seized any vessels nor made any arrests. Herve Blejean said the operation needs access to Libya, which is the departure point for ships full of migrants to Europe. Sophia Operation has deployed 6 vessels including the British frigate HMS Richmond to deal with migrant smuggling in the Mediterranean. Mr. Blejean said another 4 vessels will soon be deployed, raising the number of vessels involved in the operation to 10.