Crossing the central Mediterranean has become more treacherous than ever for migrants trying to reach Europe, with one in 18 dying or going missing during the voyage - more than double the rate last year, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said.
More than 1,600 people have perished or vanished en route to Europe this year, mostly while attempting to cross by sea from north Africa.
"This report once again confirms the Mediterranean as one of the world's deadliest sea crossings," said Pascale Moreau, Director of the UNHCR's Europe Bureau. "With the number of people arriving on European shores falling, this is no longer a test of whether Europe can manage the numbers, but whether Europe can muster the humanity to save lives."
The key reason for the increased death rate was the reduced search and rescue capacity off the Libyan coast. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that operated there last year have largely been replaced by the Libyan Coast Guard. The rescues often happened further out to sea, meaning refugees were travelling for longer on unsafe boats.
http://news.trust.org/item/20180903165843-hokmv/
More than 1,600 people have perished or vanished en route to Europe this year, mostly while attempting to cross by sea from north Africa.
"This report once again confirms the Mediterranean as one of the world's deadliest sea crossings," said Pascale Moreau, Director of the UNHCR's Europe Bureau. "With the number of people arriving on European shores falling, this is no longer a test of whether Europe can manage the numbers, but whether Europe can muster the humanity to save lives."
The key reason for the increased death rate was the reduced search and rescue capacity off the Libyan coast. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that operated there last year have largely been replaced by the Libyan Coast Guard. The rescues often happened further out to sea, meaning refugees were travelling for longer on unsafe boats.
http://news.trust.org/item/20180903165843-hokmv/
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