Since the beginning of the year, an average of eight people lost their lives or went missing each day while trying to cross the central Mediterranean towards Italy, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
With about 2,200 children, women, and men either missing or confirmed dead in the Central Mediterranean so far, the year 2023 has been the deadliest since 2017 on this migration route, witnessing an average of eight victims per day.
In its latest report titled “No one came to our rescue,” Doctors Without Borders (MSF) denounces “the violent border practices and deliberate inaction of European states”, attributing these factors to the escalating deaths at sea.
The report, based on data collected onboard the MSF-operated rescue vessel Geo Barents, outlines various instances where “European coastal states knowingly endangered lives by delaying or inadequately coordinating rescues, and by facilitating refoulements to unsafe locations.” Furthermore, the report examines the “alarming levels of violence” reported by rescued migrants to MSF teams aboard the Geo Barents.
In 2023, “the number of people arriving at Italy’s shores via the Central Mediterranean route has more than doubled compared to the same period last year. Tunisia has now overtaken Libya as the main departure point.” This substantial increase in departures, coupled with the absence of state-led rescue capabilities, has resulted in more boats in distress and shipwrecks, as highlighted in a press release dated November 22.
Source: ANSA