Human rights organizations have launched a scathing critique of the European Union's migration policies, holding them accountable for the tragic deaths of nearly 3,000 individuals in the Mediterranean Sea last year alone.
These groups warn that the "Return Decree," which mandates vessels to return directly to a designated port, distances migrants from potential rescue efforts, pushing them closer to certain death.
The Mediterranean Sea has long been a crossroads of human migration, with thousands annually traversing its waters from North Africa, Turkey, and Libya towards Europe in pursuit of asylum or migration, often without the necessary legal documentation.
Human rights groups have underscored the absence of a coordinated EU search and rescue operation, emphasizing the international maritime law that obligates coastal states aware of vessels in distress to intervene.
However, according to The Guardian, such interventions are rare, and NGOs attempting to fill this gap face significant obstacles.
A 2023 decree has significantly hampered the civil fleet's search and rescue operations, managed by NGOs, routinely endangering lives across the Mediterranean. This law forces unnecessary lengthy routes, described by critics as a political tactic rather than mere coincidence.
Furthermore, rights groups have criticized Italy for redirecting rescue ships to its distant ports, forcing them to sail hundreds of extra miles.
Despite rescuing 1,077 individuals across 14 missions in the central Mediterranean in 2023, the rescuers spent 374 days on extended voyages due to these policies.
The Italian government argues that such measures help distribute arrivals across different locations.
However, NGOs assert that these policies cost lives and increase fuel consumption, as they are often directed to a designated port immediately after a rescue, preventing further rescue missions unless distressed vessels are directly en route.
Migration researchers express frustration with EU policies, attributing the high mortality rate to the dangerous conditions from which individuals flee and the risks associated with prolonged and unnecessary sea crossings.
These policies often result in automatic detention, sometimes for extended periods, in violation of international law.
Experts highlight that European policies aim to keep Europe closed off and call for a change in these strategies, which they partially blame for the drowning of over 3,000 people last year.
The International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project reports that at least 27,088 individuals have drowned in the Mediterranean since 2014.
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