More than 3,000 migrants trying to reach Europe died at sea last year, twice as many as in 2020, announced on Friday April 29, the UN, which wants « alternatives » to these desperate and dangerous escapes.
“Of this total, 1,924 people were reported dead or missing on the Central and Western Mediterranean routes, while another 1,153 died or went missing on the sea route from North-West Africa to the Canary Islands “, said a spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Geneva, Shabia Mantoo. In 2020, 1,544 deaths had been reported for the two routes. “Alarmingly, since the beginning of the year, 478 additional people have died or gone missing at sea”noted Ms. Mantoo.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting border closures have had an impact on migration flows, with many refugees and migrants turning to smugglers in an attempt to reach Europe despite everything.
In a report published on Friday, the UNHCR notes in particular that 53,323 people arrived by sea in Italy last year, 83% more than in 2020, and 23,042 arrived in the Canary Islands, almost as many as in 2020.
There was also a 61% increase in sea departures from Tunisia last year compared to 2020, and 150% from Libya. Departures from Algeria, on the other hand, only increased very slightly (+3%).
The central Mediterranean, the deadliest route
Most sea crossings are in overcrowded inflatable boats in poor condition, UNHCR says. Many of these boats deflate or capsize, resulting in the death of the occupants. “The sea journey from West African coastal states, such as Senegal and Mauritania, and the Canary Islands is long and perilous and can take up to ten daysunderlined the UNHCR spokeswoman, during a regular press briefing by UN agencies in Geneva Many boats have strayed from their course or disappeared without a trace in these waters. »
The central Mediterranean is the deadliest migration route in the world, with over 17,000 deaths and disappearances recorded since 2014 by the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Missing Migrants Project.
The UNHCR assures that land routes can also prove to be very dangerous for migrants, and estimates that an even greater number than at sea of people may have died during their journey, in particular while crossing the Sahara desert or when held captive by traffickers or smugglers.
Death is not the only danger that threatens refugees and migrants, noted Ms. Mantoo. They are also victims of numerous human rights violations: extrajudicial executions, illegal and arbitrary detentions, sexual violence, forced labor, slavery, forced marriage…
On the occasion of the publication of its statistics, the UNHCR launched an appeal for funds for 163.5 million dollars to be able to help and protect thousands of refugees and other people trying to reach Europe through the dangerous sea lanes of the central and western Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The organization calls on governments to develop « alternatives » so that refugees and migrants do not have to embark on journeys that put them at the mercy of traffickers or put their lives in danger.