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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. 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. 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. Frederik Pleitgen/CNN