This undated image made available Monday, May 30, 2016 by the Italian Navy Marina Militare shows migrants being rescued at sea. Survivor accounts have pushed to more than 700 the number of migrants feared dead in Mediterranean Sea shipwrecks over three days in the past week, even as rescue ships saved thousands of others in daring operations. (Italian Navy via AP)

 

BERLIN (AP) — The Latest on Europe's migration crisis (all times local):

2:25 p.m.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere says the number of migrants being returned home is on the rise and expects up to 100,000 deportations or voluntary departures this year.

Germany registered 1.1 million migrants last year and has been trying to streamline the asylum process for those who will be allowed to stay, and send home more quickly those whose asylum is rejected.

De Maiziere said at current trends, between 90,000 and 100,000 will return home in 2016, which is "good but not yet good enough."

Last year Germany registered about 21,000 deportations and 37,000 voluntary returns.

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12:30 p.m.

Denmark's immigration minister says the European Union's executive arm is allowing five countries to keep border controls in place for six more months to help manage the flow of migrants.

Inger Stoejberg says the European Commission has permitted Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria and France to keep checks at borders "for another six months."

Stoejberg said Wednesday that "we have to take care of our own borders until a joint solution within the EU has been found."

The five countries requested the extension because Greece still isn't able to properly manage its border with Turkey, which prompted the five to reintroduce ID checks.

More than 1 million people arrived in Europe last year seeking sanctuary or jobs. Many entered Greece from Turkey but made their way north.

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11:55 a.m.

The German government says the European Union's anti-migrant smuggling operation in the Mediterranean sea has intercepted and destroyed 103 boats in its first year of operation.

In a reply to parliament, the Foreign Ministry said ships that make up the Operation Sophia mission have seized 85 rubber boats and 18 wooden boats, the dpa news agency reported Wednesday. A total of 69 smugglers have also been charged since the operation started in May 2015.

Though the fleet's official mission is to confront smugglers and deter illegal immigration to Europe, in practice the effort has become one of the 28-nation bloc's biggest rescue missions in history, saving more than 10,000 migrants in the past year.