Migrant arrivals double on the Balkan route
Italian authorities said the number of migrants who have entered Italy through the Balkan route has doubled in the last six months, compared to the same period in 2018.
mediterranean
Mediterranean: Over 1,100 migrants dead in one year, MSF and SOS Mediterranee say
It's been one year since Italy announced it was closing its ports to humanitarian vessels. Since then, at least 1,151 men, women and children have been reported dead while over 10,000 have been forcibly taken back to Libya and exposed to further suffering, SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) say. They want EU states to change their policies.
Migrants brought to Spain after search and rescue operation
Two boats carrying over 100 migrants were reported missing in the Alboran Sea Tuesday. The Spanish charity Caminando Fronteras has since reported that one boat has returned to Morocco while the other was accompanied by the Spanish maritime rescue service to Motril in Spain.
More 'phantom landings' in Italy: 113 migrants arrived over the weekend
In the southern Italian region of Calabria, police prevented two "phantom landings." Two small sailboats were intercepted over the weekend before reaching the shore. Meanwhile, interior ministry sources say that asylum applications and requests for humanitarian permits have declined this year in Italy.
519 migrants dead in Mediterranean since the start of 2019
The UN agency for migration has reported that at least 519 migrants have died in the Mediterranean since the start of 2019. Over half of the victims died between the coasts of Italy and Malta. Meanwhile, Greece has become the top destination for migrants.
Fewer migrant deaths in Mediterranean, but higher death rate
500 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea this year as of May 20, according to figures released by UNHCR. Meanwhile, 18,408 migrants arrived in Europe. The risk of death has grown exponentially for those who undertake a journey across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Italy.
Italian ships rescue more than 60 migrants
On Thursday, more than 60 migrants were picked up by two Italian ships: a naval ship and a private NGO vessel. While Matteo Salvini, Italy‘s Interior Minister and leader of the right-wing League (La Liga) party, reiterated that the ports should remain closed, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, has agreed to open the ports. All the migrants were disembarked Friday.
German-run migrant rescue ship Sea-Watch 3 to resume operations after court ruling
Germany’s non-profit Sea-Watch has announced it would resume its mission to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean. On Tuesday, the organization had achieved a partial success at a Dutch court, giving the NGO more time to meet new safety regulations.
Mare Ionio starts latest rescue mission, sues Italian government
The Mare Ionio ship has started its fourth mission in the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the NGO that runs the ship has filed a lawsuit against a directive signed by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini against NGOs rescuing migrants.
Stabilizing the Mediterranean
Italy and Tunisia have signed several agreements on cooperation in areas including migration and human smuggling. Top government officials from both countries met in Tunis on Tuesday for talks, which also covered the civil war in neighboring Libya.
Indictment requested for four traffickers in Diciotti boat case
Prosecutors in Italy have requested the indictment of four foreign nationals accused of being human traffickers. They were allegedly responsible for the migrant boat that was later rescued by the Italian Coast Guard ship Diciotti. The boat is at the center of a legal case involving Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.
Frontex denies documentation of NGO-trafficker collusion
The EU border agency Frontex has denied having documented any "collusion" between NGOs and human traffickers. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner had claimed earlier in the week that Frontex knew of NGOs aiding smugglers.