STRASBOURG, April 26 (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers backed the formation of rapid reaction teams to help countries such as Spain and Italy deal with sudden influxes of illegal migrants.

The European Parliament voted on Thursday overwhelmingly in favour of the measures, with 526 members in favour, 63 against and 28 abstentions.

More than 31,000 illegal migrants reached Spain's Canary Islands off west Africa last year, six times more than in 2005.

Italy and Malta faced similar, unprecedented flows and many would-be migrants die during the journey.

Under the plan, a pool of border guards would be placed by EU states at the disposal of the bloc's border agency Frontex for emergencies, such as big numbers of migrants arriving by sea. Diplomats have said the pool should be fully staffed by the end of the year.

The measures were adopted by EU governments last week. They include a "mandatory solidarity" principle pushed for by parliament members, obliging EU member states to help each other on the issue.

Border guards from several EU countries, wearing EU-flagged armbands, would be deployed within 10 days of a member state requesting help, as long as the EU border agency's director gives his green light to the request.

Fleeing poverty, migrants risk voyages of up to 2,000 km (1,250 miles) from the African coast in the hope of reaching the wealthy 27-nation bloc. Some 6,000 people died en route to the Canary Islands last year alone, Spanish officials have said.