Agency. More than 175,000 migrants have been rescued from the Mediterranean in the past 10 years while trying to reach sea Europe through dangerous sea routes from various countries to avoid poverty and conflict. A group of 21 NGOs working in the region estimates that at least 28,932 people have died while crossing the sea since 2015.
The majority of deaths occurred in the central Mediterranean between Libya, Tunisia, Italy and Malta, Mirka Schaefer of German NGO SOS Humanity told a news conference in Berlin. Five adults and a child have lost their lives every day in the region over the past decade, he said. He said the number of unrecorded cases could be “significantly higher”.
Currently, 10 of the 21 maritime rescue organisations in the region are based in Germany. These groups operate 15 boats, four ships and four aircraft. These organizations and officials have been at loggerheads over rescue efforts launched since the outbreak of Europe’s immigration crisis in 2015.
In Italy, the current government has tightened surveillance on NGOs, saying they are a key factor in encouraging departures. Immigration observers have denied the allegations as unsubstantiated claims.
The far-right government in Italy’s Georgia Maloney has passed legislation requiring rescue ships to return to designated ports, with NGOs saying the measure is contrary to maritime law. “Pressure is mounting on us,” Schafer said, criticizing the German government’s lack of support. SeaWatch spokeswoman Giulia Mesmer told a news conference that rescue organizations are calling on Berlin to support “an effective, coordinated maritime rescue program fully funded by the EU.”. ’
In a proposal sent to the German government and the European Commission, the EU has called for 108 million to 240 million euros ($124 million to $276 million) annually on rescue patrols and arrival centers.
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