CNN's Fred Pleitgen went onboard a surveillance aircraft with Frontex on a mission to surveil the waters around southern Italy for immigrants being smuggled into the EU.
Patrolling Europe's border by air —
CNN's Fred Pleitgen went onboard a surveillance aircraft with Frontex on a mission to surveil the waters around southern Italy for immigrants being smuggled into the EU.
Frederik Pleitgen/CNN
The Portugues military aircraft has been outfitted with infrared technology and high powered cameras for surveillance.
Patrolling Europe's border by air —
The Portugues military aircraft has been outfitted with infrared technology and high powered cameras for surveillance.
Frederik Pleitgen/CNN
CNN has not identified any of the six Frontex crew aboard the flight for fear they could become the target of smuggling gangs.
Patrolling Europe's border by air —
CNN has not identified any of the six Frontex crew aboard the flight for fear they could become the target of smuggling gangs.
Frederik Pleitgen/CNN
The view out of a window on the Frontex surveillance plane shows the Italian island of Lampedusa. More than 300 migrants died in a shipwreck while attempting to reach the island in early October.
Patrolling Europe's border by air —
The view out of a window on the Frontex surveillance plane shows the Italian island of Lampedusa. More than 300 migrants died in a shipwreck while attempting to reach the island in early October.
Frederik Pleitgen/CNN