The Latest: EU Med efforts enter new phase, chasing smugglers, traffickers of migrants

A Serbian police officer gives instructions to migrants queuing to get registered at a refugee center in the southern Serbian town of Presevo, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. Several Eastern European countries are cooperating on controlling the flow of migrants at the external borders of the European Union — a program a top Hungarian official said Tuesday could set an example for the rest of the 28-nation bloc. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (The Associated Press)

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Migrants arrive at the Macedonian-Greek border town Gevgelija in Macedonia, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP) (The Associated Press)

Migrants walk from the Macedonian border into Serbia, near the village of Miratovac, Serbia, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. Several Eastern European countries are cooperating on controlling the flow of migrants at the external borders of the European Union, Zsolt Nemeth, head of the Hungarian parliament's foreign relations committee said Tuesday could set an example for the rest of the 28-nation bloc. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (The Associated Press)

BRUSSELS – The latest developments as hundreds of thousands of people seeking safety make an epic trek through Europe. All times local.

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10: 35 a.m.

The European Union says it is going after suspected migrant trafficking and smuggling vessels in the international waters of the Mediterranean with an Italian aircraft carrier and five other vessels.

In reaction to the tens of thousands of people crossing the Mediterranean and the thousands of lives lost, the EU set up an operation that initially centered on saving those drifting on the high seas and would later also include directly targeting smuggling and trafficking operations.

Led by the Italian flagship Cavour, the flotilla also includes two German and a British, French and Spanish warship each. Seven planes and helicopters are also part of Operation Sophia.

Naval personnel of EU nations are allowed "to board, search, seize and divert vessels suspected of being used for human smuggling or trafficking on the high seas, in line with international law" as of Wednesday.