More than 28 thousand dead left by migration in the Mediterranean

In the last decade, more than 28,000 people died in the Mediterranean Sea, of which 22,300 were on the central route, where in 2023 alone there are already more than 2,000 dead and missing, International Organization for Migration (IOM) and United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Children’s Agency (UNICEF).

More than 22,300 of them in Central Mediterranean since the big shipwreck that cost the lives of 368 immigrants in 2013 off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa (south).

And, although most of them have not been identified, UNICEF estimates that at least 289 minors died between June and September of this year.

Three UN organizations renewed their call this Monday to strengthen the patrol and rescue system in the central Mediterranean on the occasion of the National Day of Remembrance and Reception, established in 2016 to honor all those who lost their lives trying to find safety and security in Europe.

On occasion 10th anniversary of the Lampedusa shipwreckwho marked before and after u migration policies in the Mediterranean, Three UN agencies participate in the commemorative ceremonies organized by the Italian island’s “Committee on the 3rd of October”, attended by civil society organizations, representatives of local, national and European government institutions and young people from all over Europe.

Although after the tragedy of October 3, 2013, “coordinated rescue operations between Italian and European authorities were launched to avoid new tragedies at sea, in recent years, after the end of those joint operations, the maritime rescue mechanism in the central Mediterranean has become insufficient.”

“Saving human lives must be an absolute priority, and IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF call for more European funding to support a targeted, proactive and coordinated search and rescue operation. In this context, the support of non-governmental organizations is necessary in order to avoid shipwrecks and loss of human life,” the note states.

They remembered that “The Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) adopted a resolution calling on member states to take the necessary measures to ensure security and protection of human rights”.

“At this particular moment, we must take into account that the current migration flow, although it does not represent a numerical crisis at the national and European level, significantly affects the island of Lampedusa this year, where around 70% of landings in 2023 are concentrated, which has created huge operational and logistical difficulties.

“It is therefore necessary to ensure timely transfers to appropriate institutions, especially for children, girls, women and other groups with special vulnerabilities.”

Sub-Saharan crises, misery or climate emergencies have worsened the situation so far this year, in which 133,171 immigrants have landed in Italy, almost twice as many as in 2022, when there were 71,325.