"Italian coastguards mounted an operation on Saturday to retrieve women and children from a refugee rescue boat funded by the street artists Banksy after it became stranded in the Mediterranean Sea.

The crew of the Louise Michel claimed its appeals for assistance were being ignored by the authorities, despite the vessel carrying more than 200 people rescued from small dinghies.

One of those on board had died, according to tweets posted from the vessel's account.

But on Saturday afternoon the Italian authority announced one of its Coast Guard patrols from the island of Lampedusa had reached the stricken boat and removed 49 of the most vulnerable refugees, including 32 women and 13 children.

The Italian coast guard said it acted in response to a request from the Maltese authorities. Weather conditions were deteriorating and the situation was becoming dangerous, the coast guard said."

One person dead already, shouldn't the person funding this foolhardy venture. Mr Banksy, be prosecuted for attempted murder, or at the very least manslaughter ?